United Amidst A Great Divide
by YourGrace
Summary: Historical AU. Blair Waldorf is the daughter of a wealthy plantation family in Georgia. Chuck Bass is also from a wealthy family, but has joined the military. As the Civil War tears apart the North and South, it brings Chuck and Blair together. C/B
1. Yankees At Red Ridge

**After realizing how many similarities Blair and Chuck have to Scarlett and Rhett of Gone With The Wind, I decided I should write a story about C & B during the Civil War. This story won't follow GWTW's plot, but I'm borrowing a few quotes and characters. Anyway, on with the story!**

Chapter 1 – Yankees At Red Ridge

Blair Waldorf rested her chin on her gloved hands, clasped over the fence post in front of her. It didn't even matter if she wore the old tattered pair of gloves anymore, it wasn't as if she was called upon or had dances to attend. She just wanted to hang on to a small part of the life she lead before the war began tearing it apart. All Blair had now were the lonely days of sitting atop the ridge from which the Waldorf plantation – Red Ridge – had been named after, waiting for her father's return. A person could see for miles from Blair's location, so she visited the spot nearly every day, hoping to see her father making his way along the road below.

When the war started in 1861, Harold Waldorf, a wealthy cotton planter, had joined the Confederate Army to fight for his precious Georgian land and everything it represented. Blair remembered how she had been angry and confused over his decision to join the cause of the South and the words he had spoken before he left.

"_Blair, you may not understand now…but I hope someday you will…this land is the only thing in the world worth working for, worth fighting for, worth dying for, because it's the only thing that lasts." Harold said gently to Blair, before kissing her cheek and boarding the train. _

It was now August of 1864, nearly four years later. Blair was now eighteen years old and hadn't seen her father since the day she watched the train pull away from the station. The occasional letter would arrive from Harold in the early days of the war, but the withering confidence of the Confederacy and Sherman's campaign against Atlanta had severed even those ties. The last letter had come in the spring and Harold's words had reassured Blair of his health and the expectant closure to the war…but that was months ago.

Blair wanted to believe the letter, but as she looked out across Georgia's countryside she could still see the smoldering remnants of General Sherman's path of destruction in the distance. Every day she could hear the roar of the cannons and every day she prayed that the miles between Red Ridge and the armies would be enough. The only people left on the plantation were Blair, Mammy, and a few of house slaves that hadn't run away yet, since Eleanor Waldorf had died of typhoid earlier in the year. Blair knew the remaining residents of Red Ridge were looking to her for guidance, but she was just as lost and scared as they were.

A tear slipped over Blair's cheek as she thought about the helplessness of the situation. If the Yankees decided to invade Red Ridge for supplies, she didn't know what she would do. Just thinking about the very real possibility made her sick to her stomach and she began to sob, burying her face in her hands.

Blair didn't know how long she had been crying, but when she lifted her bloodshot eyes after hearing faint noises, the sight of dust rising over the road made her head reel. There was a band of men about a mile up the road heading straight to the house. Blair couldn't make out the color of their uniforms, but it could be Confederates, it could be Yankees, or it could be her father for all she knew. She didn't give herself the time to decide, she just began to run as fast as she could back to the house.

As Blair and the soldiers both drew nearer to the house, Blair could plainly see the color of their uniforms. Blue. Dark blue. She felt as if the breath had been knocked from her body. She tried to run faster, but the combination of tight stays and Yankees marching up the road had her close to fainting. When she reached the yard, Mammy was throwing corn on the grass for the few chickens they had left.

"Mammy! Put those…chickens in the cellar!" Blair gasped, hardly able to speak.

"Miss Blair, ya look like ya done seen a ghost!" Mammy grumbled in her low voice, continuing to toss corn from the front of her apron.

"Mammy!" Blair yelled to get the woman's attention, "Listen to me…there are Yankees coming up the road!" Mammy's eyes became wide at Blair's statement.

"Hide those chickens…stay in the yard and ask them what they want. I'm going to get Pa's gun." Blair gasped again, holding her hand against her still heaving chest.

"Miss Blair, you-,"

"Just do as I say!" Blair interrupted, as she raced up the porch steps. Mammy remained in the yard with her eyes trained on the bend in the gravel drive where the Yankees were soon going to emerge.

Blair fumbled in her dress pocket for the key to her father's gun cabinet; when she had found it she could hardly undo the lock with her shaking hands. Once the locked clicked open Blair grabbed the gun and started making her way back down the stairs, not really sure of what she was about to do next. She rounded the corner to the half open front door, but quickly stepped back against the adjacent wall when she heard Mammy's rough voice arguing with the Yankees. Blair tipped her head forward to see what was happening just in time to see one of the Yankees raise his pistol and shoot Mammy in the head.

Blair bit into her trembling lower lip so hard to keep from screaming that she could taste blood. She could see Mammy's lifeless body lying at the men's feet and a million thoughts began to race through her mind. She spun around, forced her shaky legs to carry her up the stairs and made her way into her parents' bedroom, locking the door behind her. Slumping against the door, she started to think of a safe way to escape as quickly as she could in her shocked and frightened state.

*****

Chuck Bass had been traveling through the woods when he stumbled upon a large plantation that was seemingly untouched by the war. He had entered the property from the backside, so he was able to see the rear of the house and the cookhouse in the backyard. Just as he was about to approach someone to ask for food and water, he heard a woman's voice in front of the house yelling franticly about Yankees coming up the road. At first, he had thought of running back to his horse and galloping as far away as he could, but something about the desperation in the unknown woman's voice had kept him rooted to his spot in the forest.

After hearing a single gunshot, Chuck knew that he could not turn his back on the situation. He could hear the creak of wagon wheels, a sure sign that these Yankees had come to pillage whatever this family had left. Chuck carefully watched the windows of the house and finally saw the face of a young woman peeking over an opened window's sill. She was safe it seemed, but Chuck couldn't be sure of how long the soldiers would remain unaware of her presence. Chuck's eyes scanned the yard, and once it was clear he sprinted to the house and hastily climbed the lattice up to the window.

*****

Blair was sitting beneath the window of her parents' bedroom, hoping by some miracle that the Yankees would just leave, but she knew they would eventually find her and what would happen to her after that, she didn't know. Suddenly, she heard the front door bang against the wall, followed by the sound of heavy footsteps on the woods floors. The vein at her temple was near bursting when she heard someone making their way up the stairs. Blair slowly stood up and walked a few paces toward the door, holding the gun out in front of her; if she was going to have to escape she needed to be able to take action quickly.

The footsteps completed the staircase and started down the hallway. Blair's heart was beating wildly against her ribs and she held the gun tighter as the man opened the door across the hall. After a few moments the man came back out into the hallway and she could see the shadow of his boots underneath the door.

Blair heard the doorknob rattle as the man tried to enter the room, and just as she thought she might not be able to keep herself from screaming any longer, someone grabbed the gun from behind, wrapped their arm around her waist and clamped a large hand over her mouth. Blair automatically bit into one of the fingers covering her mouth and heard the man behind her hiss in pain, but then he roughly pulled her head back against his chest, slamming his hand into her nose.

Tears stung her eyes from the blow and she stopped struggling – this was the end – the Yankees had found her. Blair could hear the man holding her breathing heavily, his face was next to hers and he seemed to be watching the door, but he wasn't moving. That's when she remembered the Yankee that had been outside the door and if she listened she could hear him rummaged through drawers in another room. After a few moments, the sounds created by the other man were interrupted when the stranger behind her cocked the pistol he was holding.

*****

Chuck felt awful as he cocked the pistol at his side and felt lips quivering beneath his hand and warm tears falling onto his fingers. The poor woman in his arms most likely thought he was about to do something monstrous to her. Chuck was willing the soldier outside the door to go back downstairs, and when he heard another man call him away, he let his breath out in relief.

Chuck had to get them out of the house soon, because he knew the soldiers would eventually come back for anything of value and one locked door would not stand in their way. Keeping his hand over the woman's mouth, he slowly turned her body to face him. She was beautiful and Chuck suddenly felt guilty because she looked so frightened. Her eyes wildly searched his form and noticed the uniform, which was not blue, but gray, and her confused eyes locked with his.

"Shh…I'm going to take my hand away." Chuck whispered, bringing his fingers to his lips in a gesture of silence. When he lifted his hand, he winced. The inside of his hand was covered in blood, but he had winced because of the blood still seeping from her nostrils and falling over her full lips. He hadn't meant to hurt her; he had just needed her to stay quiet.

"Please…I'll give you anyth -," Blair gasped out until Chuck interrupted her. He went to raise his finger to his lips again, but stopped short when Blair squeezed her eyes shut, thinking he was going to strike her.

"No, it's alright…" Chuck whispered, trying to reassure her, "I have a horse tied up in the forest, if we can get to it, we'll be safe."

Blair didn't respond to his promise of safety. She continued searching his brown eyes, confused as to what was happening and trying to detect any form of deceit.

"You don't have to believe me, but they'll be coming back soon and we can't be here when they do." Chuck said, trying to get her to respond.

"How can I trust you?" Blair asked in a quiet voice.

"I wouldn't have risked my own life against a band of Yankees if I hadn't planned on keeping you safe." Chuck responded back, trying to make her believe him so he could get them out of the house.

Blair's heart was racing, but she decided she would rather be with this man than left to the Yankees…and something in the man's eyes seemed genuine.

"How do we get out?" Blair whispered, with a questioning look.

"Out the window, but you have to take your skirts and petticoats off first." Chuck told her. Blair tried to step out of Chuck's embrace, thinking he was trying to trick her.

"You can't very well ride a horse in them can you?" Chuck hissed. He realized her fears, but they were running out of time. He spun her around and pulled a knife from his belt, quickly slicing through the laces on the back of her dress.

Blair pushed against his arm, desperately trying to free herself from his grasp, but he was too strong. "No…let go of me!"

Suddenly, their struggle stopped when they heard the front door open again. Blair looked to Chuck, who quickly pulled her skirts down, lifted her out of them, and tugged her toward the window.

"I'll climb down first, I'll be right behind you…you won't fall." Chuck told her and then disappeared out the window.

Blair swung her leg over the window sill, blushing furiously at this stranger seeing her in her pantalets and corset, climbing from a window no less. She was still a few feet from the ground, when Chuck grasped her hips and set her on the ground. He motioned with his arm and they ran as fast as they could across the yard and into the forest. They ran until they reached the horse, which Chuck rapidly untied.

"Get on!" Chuck shouted at Blair.

"I can't breathe…" Blair wheezed against her corset.

Chuck was becoming frustrated, the two were only about a quarter of a mile from the house, and he knew it wasn't enough. Gripping Blair's hips again, he easily lifted her into the saddle and jumped up behind her. He kicked his boots into the horse's sides and startled it into a fast gallop. Blair's body lurched forward at the suddenness of the movement and she grabbed at the horse's mane, trying to regain her balance.

Chuck's arm went around her waist and pulled her back against his strong chest. "I won't let you fall off the horse either." Chuck whispered in her ear, and then laughed, spurring on the horse. Blair was still in shock over the whole situation, but she was sure this wasn't a time for teasing and laughter.

**Hope you all enjoyed it! Please review...thanks! :)**


	2. Safe

Chapter 2 – Safe

Chuck ran the horse as fast and as far as possible, until the horse began slowing down of his own volition and thick white foam dripped from his mouth. Chuck wasn't exactly sure how far they had ridden, but he was sure that the Yankees at the plantation were occupied. The woman sitting in front of him would be lucky to ever see her house again after the Yankees were through with it. She hadn't said anything during the ride and now that Chuck had saved her, he didn't know what he was going to do with her.

After the horse had slowed to a walk, Chuck gracefully swung himself down from the saddle and walked next to the horse. He looked over his shoulder trying to catch the attention of the beautiful brunette sitting atop his horse, but her head was turned and her glassy eyes were staring off into the forest.

Chuck led the horse a few miles further, until he came to a secluded area along a small creek. He let the reins drop to the ground and turned to Blair, offering his assistance as she dismounted. She put her hands on his shoulders and slid down, as his hands went around her waist. When her feet hit the ground, Chuck's hands remained on her waist and their eyes locked. He gave her half a smile, but feeling self conscious, Blair averted her gaze and Chuck automatically let go.

"I'm sorry…I…" Chuck began, not sure of what to say next. Blair looked back up at him waiting for the rest of his sentence.

"I apologize, I don't even know your name…I'm Charles Bass, but you can call me Chuck." He stated, holding his hand up to accept hers.

"Blair Waldorf…" Blair replied back plainly and put her hand in his. He gently kissed the back of her hand and when he released it she brought it up to her nose and mouth, feeling sticky half-dried blood.

"I'm sorry, I hadn't meant to hurt you…" Chuck trailed off, as he pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and dipped it in the creek. He stepped back up to Blair, put his hand behind her head and tilted it upwards, beginning to dab away the blood. The cool water felt amazing against her hot dusty skin and her eyelids fluttered shut.

Blair wasn't exactly sure of what she was doing. A man she had just met was tenderly holding her face and taking care of her, while she stood in her undergarments. This wasn't exactly a day in the life of Blair Waldorf, but her house being raided by Yankees wasn't either. Thoughts of Yankees and Mammy and Red Ridge burning to the ground suddenly filled her head, and the magnitude of the situation flooded her brain.

Blair's face crumpled in Chuck's hands, as tears began sliding from beneath her eyelids and Chuck removed his hand. She glanced sadly at Chuck before turning away from him and walking away. He watched her as she walked into the forest and sat down under a tree, her chest heaving with sad cries.

Chuck had had many experiences with different types of women, but he had never been in a predicament like this one. He hated listening to the whimpers and sobs coming from the woman a few paces away from him. He didn't know how to comfort someone who had just been torn from their home and most likely would never see it again. Chuck hoped that she wasn't frightened by him, but he couldn't expect this young woman to immediately trust him either. If she had family nearby he would take her there, he was a gentleman after all and he would never dream of abandoning her out in the wilderness. She just had to trust him, which he was positive he could make her do.

After a while, Blair stopped making noises and Chuck figured she had fallen asleep against the tree. It was starting to get dark and he wanted her to come closer to the safety of the fire he had made. He approached her slowly so he wouldn't startle her, but when he knelt to wake her he was surprised to find her not sleeping at all.

"I thought you were asleep…" Chuck said softly. Blair only nodded her head.

"Would you come closer to the fire?" Chuck asked, extending his hand to help her to her feet. She nodded and put her small hand into his much larger one.

"Chuck?" Blair whispered.

"Yes?"

"Thank you…for today, I really don't know what would have happened if…" Blair's voice trailed off. Each of them knew what would have happened to her, but neither wanted to think of it. Chuck nodded his head.

"You're welcome." He murmured and brought her to the fire, so she could sit down on the blanket he had spread out. "Are you hungry?" Chuck asked.

Blair nodded her head in a silent no and Chuck couldn't blame her, she probably felt too shaken and sick to eat anything.

"Why do you have all this?" Blair asked curiously, motioning to the horse and other supplies he had, which included the small tent she had heard him setting up earlier. Chuck sat down next to her and began answering her question.

"I was serving for the Confederacy, but I couldn't stand it anymore, so I deserted. I couldn't stand the bloodshed, the killing, the injuries…it was just too much. I never wanted this war, but I had to defend the South…it's my home." Chuck stated, looking to Blair for her reaction.

"I understand." Blair said softly, while nodding her head. She had never wanted the war either.

"The gunshot…who was it?" Chuck asked Blair after a few moments, hoping she wouldn't be angry with him for asking.

"My mammy…I went to get the gun and when I came back I saw…I saw it happen, they shot her in the head." Blair whispered brokenly, tears gathering again.

"I'm sorry you had to see that…were you alone?" Chuck asked, referring to her immediate family.

Blair nodded and a tear dribbled down her nose. "Yes, my father is in the military…I haven't seen him since the beginning of the war and I haven't heard from him in months and my mother…well, she died of typhoid in the spring." Blair replied, her voice cracking as the realization of having no one left hit her. She was breathing heavily, trying to gain back some of her composure, but she just couldn't.

Chuck couldn't bring himself to sit by while she sobbed her heart again, she could push him away if she wanted, but he had to try. He scooted closer to her on the blanket and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her smaller frame against his chest. Blair accepted his embrace by laying her head against his shoulder, and continuing to cry.

Chuck had never been the man to become emotional, but as he sat holding a shaking Blair, he couldn't help but feel saddened by everything the war had taken from her. He may not have been close with his own family, but he couldn't imagine what it would feel like to have no one at all, especially so suddenly. Then he rested his face on her chocolate curls and made a promise to himself to take care of Blair as best he could, until he found a safe place for her.

"I'll keep you safe, I promise." Chuck whispered.

He held her close, breathing in her soft of scent lavender, until she began to settle down. Their contact was unusual for a man and woman who had just met one another, but it felt right to both and neither was worried about the correct social manners at the moment. When Blair finally pulled away, her puffy and bloodshot eyes showed all the exhaustions of the day.

"You should sleep, there are plenty of blankets in the tent for you…I'll stay out here." Chuck informed Blair.

Blair smiled at his chivalry towards her. "Don't be silly, you can't sleep outside."

"It wouldn't be proper…" Chuck replied back.

"You haven't done anything improper yet and I don't see anyone here to judge. I don't think your horse would mind." Blair said, smiling at him and revealing straight pearly white teeth. Her smile made a smile cross Chuck's features as well, for it was the first time he had ever seen her genuinely smile.

"Alright, just tell me once you're decent and I'll come in." Chuck said, then turned away quickly hoping his comment hadn't sounded suggestive in any way.

Blair smirked and opened the flap of the tent. "I've been flouncing around in my pantalets all day and I just don't know how much more indecent I could be." She had always been the belle of the county; the war could never touch her flirtatious charms.

Chuck was a bit taken aback by her statement, but just smiled as he watched her enter the tent. At least she could maintain some humor considering everything that had happened to her. He waited by the fire until she called to him from inside the tent.

*****

Blair lay on her side under a gray wool blanket, her chin resting in her hand as she watched Chuck light the lantern. She studied his profile as he worked and she had to admit that her rescuer was devastatingly handsome. Blair smiled to herself and continued to watch him until the orangey glow of the flame danced across his face. The events of the day had brought her at least one good thing.

"Chuck?" Blair asked quietly, breaking the silence.

"Yes?" He answered.

"How old are you?" She asked, not caring that she sounded forward because something told her that he wouldn't mind.

"I'm twenty-two and how old are you?" Chuck asked, as he lied down mirroring Blair's position.

"I'm eighteen, but I will be nineteen in November." Blair stated. Thinking of her birthday reminded her of how much she missed her father, and Chuck could see the sadness visible on her face.

"What are you thinking of?" Chuck asked gently.

"My father…" Blair answered simply. She didn't offer anymore, so Chuck let them slip back into silence, only to break it a few moments later.

"I truly am sorry…" Chuck began, as his hand slowly crept toward Blair's, which was lying atop the blanket. When his fingers touched hers, she twitched slightly, but soon she was allowing him to entwine their fingers together. "For everything you've had to go through."

Blair's gaze was focused on the area of the back of her hand where his rough thumb was smoothing circular patterns against her skin. "It's not your fault…" She answered absently, lost in the feeling of her hand in his.

"If the Confederates had more men, maybe they could push the Yankees further from Atlanta…you could be in your own home, you could be safe." Chuck said, alluding to him and the hundreds of men who had been fleeing from the impending battles to keep Atlanta out of Sherman's reach.

Blair lifted her head and looked up into Chuck's face. "But I feel safe now…"

Chuck smiled and Blair smiled back at him, feeling him grasp her hand a bit tighter. She really did feel safe, more so than she ever had since her father had left her and her mother alone at the plantation.

"We should sleep now…" Chuck murmured and snuffed out the lantern.

Blair nodded in agreement and put her head down on the blanket she had folded up for a pillow. Chuck was still holding her hand and just when she was thinking of how nice it felt, he pulled his hand away…his fingertips grazing hers as he did. Blair kept her hand atop the blanket and closed her eyes, falling asleep after only a few minutes.

Chuck watched the rise and fall of the blanket from Blair's steady breathing, then his eyes moved up to her face. She was truly beautiful; especially as a ray of moonlight coming through an opening in the tent softly lit her delicate features. She had full lips stained a reddish color, long dark lashes, and perfectly arched brows. While Chuck had been outside she took the pins out of her hair, so now her luscious curls fanned out gorgeously around her shoulders. Chuck reached out and touched one of those curls, wrapping it around his finger. He suddenly felt very grateful for having been able to save her and keep her safe. Smiling, he let the dark tendril unwind from his finger and fall into place near her cheek. Then he laid his own head down and closed his eyes, still thinking of the woman lying next to him.

**I hope everyone liked the update! Don't forget to review, thanks!**


	3. Bittersweet

**Hey everyone! Sorry about the long wait inbetween updates! I hope you all like it! Merry Christmas!!!**

Chapter 3 - Bittersweet

Before opening her eyes, Blair listened to the gentle bubbling and splashes of the stream outside. The sounds reminded her of exactly where she was; in the middle of the countryside with Chuck Bass. Maybe she should have felt apprehensive, but for some reason she did not. The worst had happened and she felt a bittersweet relief at not being stuck at Red Ridge, worrying about the war. She trusted Chuck on his promise to protect her, and even though she had no home or any idea of where she would end up, she felt as if everything would be alright.

Blair raised herself up on her elbow, looking to see if Chuck was still asleep beside her. He wasn't, but just thinking about holding his hand the night before had her smiling to herself. Glancing at her corset which she had stuffed underneath the blanket, she decided that there was no way she could possibly lace it on her own, so she wrapped herself in the blanket and stepped outside.

"Good morning!" Blair chirped when she noticed Chuck sitting on a stump near the fire.

Ever the gentleman, he rose to greet her. "Good morning…I hope you slept well."

"I did, in fact!" Blair smiled. Chuck smiled back at her, noticing the wool blanket wrapped around her petite body. A puzzled look crossed his face.

"You're not cold are you?" Chuck asked curiously. Georgia during the month of August certainly wasn't cold.

Blair giggled and bit her lower lip endearingly, looking to the ground. "Well, I don't have anyone to help me lace my corset and I certainly don't have a dress to wear."

"Oh, of course…well, I do apologize for not having any dresses…" Chuck began, "but I do have this." Chuck finished, as he pulled a gray uniform, identical to his own, from one of the saddlebags.

"I can't wear that!" Blair laughed.

"Why, yes you can…and besides it will be more comfortable than that contraption of a corset anyway, you'll see." Chuck replied back. "Put it on."

"Fine then, but turn around!" Blair demanded, thinking that she would look absolutely ridiculous wearing men's clothing, and a uniform at that.

Chuck faced the other way with his hands clasped behind his back as he waited for Blair to try on the uniform. He tried to stifle his laughter as Blair mumbled about the uniform having nothing to do with the latest fashions.

"Alright, you can look now," Blair stated, "but don't you dare laugh at me!"

Once Chuck had turned around he immediately smirked. Blair was standing in her new outfit, arms crossed, head turned, and eyes glaring. Chuck couldn't help but laugh.

"This is just absurd!" Blair said, her comment eventually melting into laughter when she saw Chuck's face.

"Well do you know what I think?" Chuck asked. Blair's response was the narrowing of her eyes. "I think that if all soldiers were as beautiful as you, there wouldn't be any war."

Blair's face brightened at his obvious compliment. "Well, you know women wouldn't be involved in anything like the silly, old war!"

"I do know, now come here so I can fix those trousers." Chuck told her, motioning for her to sit on the stump where he had been sitting earlier.

Blair walked past him to sit down, but then she turned back and marched up to him. She was looking up into Chuck's face with a curious stare, hands on her hips. "Why do you have an extra uniform, when most of the men don't even have one proper uniform? This wouldn't even fit you!"

Chuck smiled at Blair's fiery question, she was absolutely correct with both of her statements. The uniform was not extremely large on her and as she stood facing Chuck, the top of her head was still inches from being level with his chin.

"I was hoping you wouldn't ask…" Chuck said quietly.

"Why, so I wouldn't think you were a rotten deserter that took half of the Confederacy's supplies when you left!?" Blair snapped.

"No, so you wouldn't know I stripped it off a dead body." Chuck answered nonchalantly, awaiting Blair's reaction.

Blair's mouth dropped open and her face twisted in horror and disgust. She began tearing open the buttons of the jacket without saying a word, but Chuck grasped her hands and laced his fingers into hers, bringing her hands down to their sides. Her eyes were shooting daggers as Chuck held her hands and smiled down at her.

"I was only joking…" Chuck stated with laugh, squeezing her hands before bowing his head deftly and kissing her cheek.

Blair squeezed his hands back in frustration, her face was flushed crimson from a combination of annoyance and the feel of Chuck's lips so close to hers. "What…I…oh, that was an awful thing to tell me!" Blair sputtered.

"I know…now sit." Chuck told her, still smirking.

Blair took her seat on the stump and placed her foot into Chuck's awaiting hand. He pulled the legs of the uniform straight and pinned each one to the correct length, then tucked them into her boot.

"There, now you're ready for battle!" Chuck exclaimed, as he stood up.

Blair made a face and stuck out her tongue. "No thank you!"

"Alright, I'll allow you to refuse battle, but you can't refuse this…" Chuck said, handing her a plate of food. "We're riding all day, so you should eat." Then, he walked away and began to prepare the horse.

"Yes, sir!" Blair quipped, saluting Chuck as she did.

Blair watched absently as Chuck slipped the bridle over the horses face and adjusted the buckles, before throwing the saddle over its back. She pushed the food Chuck had given her around the dented tin plate it was laying on and listened to the metallic scrape. The sounds of the forest enveloped her and she began to think. Where were they going? What was going to happen to her?

"Chuck?"

"Blair?"

Both of them spoke one another's name at the exact same moment because they each had the same thoughts surfacing in their minds. Chuck stepped away from his horse and studied Blair's face.

"Chuck, where are you taking me?" Blair asked softly.

Chuck inhaled deeply, he knew where _he _was going, but he didn't know where he was going to take her unless she gave him an idea. "Do you have family members nearby? I could take you to them."

"No, I don't…" Blair answered, lowering her lost brown eyes.

Her simple response had surprised Chuck, most people had family in neighboring counties and he had been counting on that for a place to take her. There had to be somewhere for Blair, he couldn't have her traipsing around the South with him, that was too dangerous.

"No where? Not even a close friend?" Chuck asked gently, trying not to upset her or make her feel bad.

"No!" Blair snapped, as her face contorted with anger. "There's nowhere for me to go!"

"I'm sorry, I just…" Chuck spoke quietly, taken aback by this new side of Blair. He eventually let his voice drift off as he watched the brunette turn away shaking her head.

She was sick of crying in front of Chuck, they did not know each other and it was easier for Blair to revert to her anger so she could ignore her pain. Most of her life had been like that, letting her temper reign over her emotions and it seemed that now wouldn't be any different.

"I apologize…" Blair stated in a monotone voice. She really didn't know what she was apologizing for, the fact that she had yelled at Chuck or the fact that she was now dependent on him. Blair made her own rules, but now she was helpless.

"None of this is your fault, Blair, don't apologize." Chuck told her, not reacting to her outburst because he knew she was just frightened. "I'm going to New Orleans, you can come with me…"

Blair didn't respond to Chuck's comment. She was weighing her options, with the Waldorf fortune there had always been options. Unbeknownst to Blair, most of the currency and bonds of the Confederacy was now completely void.

"No, that won't be necessary, you can take me to Atlanta, I'll draw some money from my family's account and I can stay there." Blair stated haughtily, thinking she had crafted a solution.

"I won't leave you in that city." Chuck replied.

Blair's brows arched together in astonishment and she shouted at Chuck. "Who are you to tell me where I shall go!?"

"You know as well as I do that the Yankees are on their way to burn Atlanta to the ground!" Chuck spat. "Can you honestly tell me that, that is where you would like to be when it happens!?"

"I have enough money to buy my way to Savannah or any other place in this country for that matter!" Blair yelled back with just as much venom.

"You may think you do, but the South's money isn't any good anymore!" Chuck shouted at her and then walked away, continuing to put his equipment into the saddlebags. Blair's mouth dropped open and she gasped at Chuck's words as she watched him walk away. So she sat silently, worrying and letting the possibility of her family's money being gone roll around in her head.

After a while, Chuck grabbed the horse's reins and began guiding him away. He walked a few paces before turning back to Blair. "I'm leaving now, you're welcome to come along…but if not, you know the way to Atlanta." He said loudly, raising his arm and pointing to the East. Blair turned her body around on the stump she was still sitting on and crossed her arms, ignoring Chuck.

Chuck looked at his horse and shrugged his shoulders, then kept walking through the forest. He knew Blair would be following along soon, because if she didn't he would throw her over his shoulder and carry her. Chuck walked down a small hill with the horse and waited at the bottom, knowing that Blair could no longer see him and that she would soon come looking.

*****

Blair sat dejectedly, until she could no longer hear Chuck's footsteps and the creak of the leather saddle. She turned abruptly, surprised to see that he had actually left her. A sense of panic set in as Blair looked for a sign of Chuck. She had never been left alone in the middle of a forest before, she had only wandered Red Ridge, but there had always been so many field hands at work that someone was always nearby.

Blair stood and briskly began walking in the direction in which Chuck had left. He couldn't have gotten that far, could he? Blair wasn't taking any chances, so she continued to walk over the small hill Chuck had gone over. A noise behind her, made Blair look over her shoulder as she made her way down the other side of the hill. She was still searching for the cause of the sound, when she suddenly ran into a hard muscular body.

A loud scream pierced the air as Blair tried to stumble away, only to be caught by strong arms and spun around to see Chuck's laughing face. "I knew you would come back!" Chuck laughed at her.

"Aaugh! Don't touch me! Let me go!" Blair shrieked at Chuck wrenching her arm away from his grasp. Chuck quickly let her go, he had only been teasing her, but it seemed he had startled and embarrassed her.

Blair moved a few steps away from him and tried to catch her breath, she couldn't believe she thought he was sweet the night before. Now all Chuck could do was play jokes on her and nearly give her heart attacks by frightening her.

Blai-," Chuck started to say, but was interrupted by Blair holding up her hand to him.

"Just leave me be…I'll come with you, but just let me alone for awhile." Blair stated.

"Alright…" Chuck said with a nod, and then kept trekking through the woods, Blair following behind.

*****

They had been walking for hours, so long in fact that the leather sole of Blair's boot was peeling away and making her even more aggravated than she had been. The flapping of the loose sole was driving Blair mad and the red dust rising with every step was making her eyes bloodshot and itchy. She was so frustrated and tired that she nearly wanted to beg Chuck to stop, but she kept pressing onward so as not to make him angry, considering her earlier actions.

Each of them had noticed the darkening of the afternoon sky as they continued their silent journey. So when lightning began cracking the blackened clouds and large rain drops drenched their bodies, it came as no surprise. The once, dusty clay soil beneath their feet instantly turned to a slippery red mess, which only helped in frustrating Blair even more. Now, her boots were immersed in mud every time she put her foot down and it was a struggle to keep her balance each time she pulled her foot free with a loud sucking noise.

Blair only made it a few more steps before her foot slipped and she fell forward onto her knees, splashing into the rust colored slime as she caught herself with her hands. Chuck immediately turned around after hearing her fall and knelt down beside her.

"Are you alright?" Chuck asked. Blair was glad she was too soaked with rain water for him to see the discouraged tears leaking from her eyes.

"Yes…" The petite brunette replied bleakly, as she knelt and attempted to wipe the mud from her hands on the jacket she was wearing.

"Let me help you." Chuck stated, offering her his hands. She put her clay stained hands into his and he easily pulled her to her foot. "You can ride Victrola, you don't have to walk…I'll find somewhere to get you out of the rain."

Blair nodded, looking up to Chuck with appreciation, and then followed him to the horse. He helped her climb up into the saddle and then he continued guiding the horse along the slick terrain. Blair watched Chuck from her perch, feeling guilty for how rude she had been to him earlier as he struggled for her. He was sweet to her and she would be sure to tell him.

After a while, Chuck had gotten them to an area of forest where the ground was more solid and he stopped to rummage through one of the saddlebags. He pulled one of the gray wool blankets out and held it under his arm, as he stepped into the stirrup and jumped up behind Blair.

Chuck unfolded the blanket and draped it around his back, then tightly wrapped his arm around Blair's waist, pulling the material over her as well. Blair felt her stomach leap into her throat at the feeling of being held so close. The cold wetness of the rain and the warmth emanating from Chuck's body was making her feel dizzy, but she had a feeling that the rain was the lesser cause.

They rode further into the thickening forest, until they came to a cluster of large pine trees. Chuck swung himself down and held his arms up to help Blair slip down. Once she had, he began to turn away, but Blair held to his shoulder.

"Chuck?" Blair whispered softly.

He looked down into her face, searching her dark eyes. "What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry…" She said quietly as she shifted a bit closer to his body.

"So am I…" Chuck replied with a half-hearted smile, before trying to step away from her again.

"Chuck, wait." Blair pleaded, putting both her hands behind his neck to keep him in place. "Thank you…you really are sweet to me."

Chuck's arm went around her back and his free hand tenderly pushed a wet strand of hair off her forehead. "You're welcome…a woman as beautiful as you should always be taken care of." Chuck stated, and then brushed the pad of his thumb along her full bottom lip. They were both breathing deeply now as they stared into one another's eyes and before either one of them could stop themselves; their lips were pressed together in a gentle kiss.

Blair's eyelids fluttered shut at the first touch, but after a few seconds, their lips parted, and Chuck rested his forehead on Blair's, their noses still touching. He waited for Blair to open her eyes, glad to see nothing but desire shining in the deep brown color when she did.

The look in her eyes set him afire and he quickly pulled Blair's body against his, before sealing their lips together once more. The kiss was more insistent this time, making Blair gasp into Chuck's mouth as his tongue traced her bottom lip. When Blair's lips parted Chuck touched their tongues together and Blair dug her fingers into his neck.

The kiss lasted a few moments longer, until they each pulled away to take a deep breath. Blair's face was flushed; she had never been kissed that deeply or intensely in all her life. Chuck smiled at Blair's pink cheeks as he held her face in his hands. She looked into his eyes briefly and then rested her face against his chest, letting his large hands encircle her waist. After awhile Chuck pulled her away and smoothed back her wet hair.

"Let's get out of this rain…" Chuck told her, motioning to the thick pines trees. They knelt down under the branches and sat against the tree trunk, sheltered by the heavy green needles.

Chuck put his arm around Blair and held her to his body, then wrapped them up in the blanket once more. Blair fumbled under the blanket, until she finally found Chuck's warm hand and he closed it around her own. They sat together in comfortable silence as they watched the rain continue to fall and eventually, they each fell asleep under the tree. With Blair's face lying on Chuck's shoulder and his head resting atop hers.


	4. Feel The Heat

**Hey, everyone! I know you probably thought I had abandoned this story, which I apologize for, but I haven't! I still have lots of ideas for this story, but school sort of got in the way of that...but luckily, my summer break starts in a week! So that means more updates...anyway, on with the show!**

Chapter 4 – Feel The Heat

"Don't move…" Chuck whispered, as Blair awoke and began lifting her head from where it had been resting on his chest, while she slept. The comment stirred a feeling of nervousness in her stomach for a moment and her eyes flitted around in the dim morning light, until Chuck pointed slowly to the area of forest in front of them.

A few yards away, a small herd of deer was rooting around in the fallen pine needles, and grazing on whatever low lying vegetation they could find. The only sound that could be heard was the rustling of twigs and leaves, as the animals fed, unaware of the two people watching them silently.

Blair nodded and kept her place against Chuck's side, watching the deer go about their quiet actions in their most natural environment. They weren't scared or anxious. Just relaxed and calm, in their easy movements.

Even in the animals', and she and Chuck's juxtaposed positions, Blair immediately recognized the great distances between situations, as her brain started working rapidly. It had already been nearly two full days since Chuck rescued her from her own home, and with each passing day her anxiousness and fright grew. She knew for the time being she was safe, and Chuck and his kiss were a good distraction, but how long would it last? The thoughts and questions pushed at her mind, and Blair did her best to try to block them out, even though she knew she should be finding the answers.

"We have to go." Chuck said just as quietly as he had whispered before, but Blair was so deep in thought that she gasped, her body jumping, not expecting his words. The deer were gone in a matter of seconds, startled out of their peacefulness by Blair being startled out her paranoia.

"You scared them…" Chuck laughed lightly, and began to stand up. Once he was on his feet, he offered his hand to Blair, but she was still staring after the animals guiltily.

"You have to tell me more." Blair stated when she finally looked up at Chuck standing above her.

"What do you mean? What's wrong?" Chuck asked, his eyebrows coming together in concern.

Blair took Chuck's hand and stood up, but continued to grip his hand in tight desperation. "You have to tell me more. Where are we going once we get to New Orleans? What's going to happen to us then, what…what's going to happen to _me _then!?"

Bewilderment shone in Blair's eyes, while she practically tugged on Chuck's hand for answers. Just as Blair did not have the answers for herself, Chuck didn't have them either.

"Once I get to New Orleans, I plan to take a ship back to Charleston…that's where I'm from." Chuck started to explain, placing his hand over hers and stroking it comfortingly. There was much more risk to the plan, but he thought it best not to tell Blair that yet. "You could come too…Charleston is still a free city."

Chuck's factual comment made a chill run through Blair's body, and her gaze dropped to the ground. Her home was probably gone now, and soon Atlanta would be gone too.

"You could stay in Charleston with my family and I, until…until your father comes home…" Chuck said quietly, and Blair's head snapped up, so he quickly added some cheer to the sentence. "The war is bound to be over soon!"

Blair shook her head sadly and answered in an emotionless tone. "The war has already lasted years and my father may never come home. Even if he did…there won't be anything left at Red Ridge, not even me."

"You can't say that, plenty of soldiers are alive and well. You're father will find you." Chuck urged her to believe him, but considering how much she had already lost, he understood how she had resigned herself to that conclusion.

"I pray that you are correct." Blair answered solemnly.

"Only time will tell, but we can't waste it here…we have to get to New Orleans." Chuck squeezed her hand, dipping his head to catch her eyes. "Are you ready?"

"Yes…"

With Chuck's simple question and Blair's even more simple answer, an adventurous journey began that neither one of them could have predicted.

*****

"What could I say to make you smile?" Chuck suddenly asked, as he and Blair continued to walk side by side with the horse meandering behind them, through the hills and swells of Georgia's countryside.

"It depends on what you have to say…" Blair stated monotonously, and then kicked a stray piece of limestone over the leaf littered ground.

They walked a few more paces, and Chuck quickly stole the rock from Blair, kicking it further ahead before her boot could make contact again. Blair just sighed, and pushed her hair off her sticky forehead.

"I could tell you about Charleston…" Chuck offered.

Blair shrugged her shoulders without a response, keeping her eyes forward.

"I think you would like it there…I do, I can't wait to go back." He began talking aimlessly, knowing that Blair was listening. "Lots of parties and people, and dancing…"

"Lots of parties?" Blair asked somewhat interestedly, as she spotted the stone on the ground and prepared to kick it again.

"Of course, more than you can count, there are parties every night." Chuck answered, taking a swift step and swiping the rock away from Blair once more. She marched ahead of Chuck with determination.

"Seems distaste-_ful_!" Blair huffed, as she finally hit the rock again before Chuck could interrupt her.

She could hear his approaching steps as he began to catch up with her, and recognizing his game, she started walking faster, a smirk on her face. Just as she came to the stone again Chuck caught her.

"No, I think you would love the dancing!" Chuck shouted playfully, as his arms came around her waist, before he spun her around and dipped her low.

Blair let out a yelp and the tiniest hint of a smile played at her lips, even though she was trying her hardest not to as Chuck gazed down at her, keeping her body bent as if they really were dancing.

"Tell me, would you?" Chuck smiled.

"No!" Blair answered seriously, even though the glint in her eyes was belying her amusement.

"Wrong, tell me again."

"No, I woul – Chuuucck!?" Blair shrieked, at suddenly feeling herself drop a few inches before Chuck caught her in his arms again.

"I told you that wasn't the answer." Chuck taunted from above her, his face only inches away from hers now. Blair was smiling, but Chuck wasn't through teasing her. "Tell me the truth."

"I said no, wait Chuck…stop…alright!" Blair gasped between breathless laughter, when Chuck dipped her even lower so her head was nearly hanging upside down. When her eyes weren't squeezed shut, she could see the inverted view of the forest surroundings.

"Something you want to tell me, Blair?" Chuck asked patiently, smiling at Blair's current position.

"I would love the dancing!" She finally breathed out, after containing her laughter enough to speak again. Chuck swiftly picked her back up and set her on her feet, just as easily as he had brought her down.

Chuck was smiling down at her smugly, just as she was smiling at him. "I thought so!"

"But not with you!" Blair exclaimed with a giggle, pushing against Chuck's chest, before breaking away and sprinting away from him. She only made it a few steps before she was wrapped up in his arms again, her chest tight against his.

"I knew I could make you smile…" Chuck whispered against Blair's smiling lips, and before she could even answer, his mouth was upon hers in a fast, insistent kiss.

"Mmm…" The response Blair was trying to attempt melted into a moan, as Chuck grasped at her hips and she caught the back of his neck with her hand.

The back of Chuck's neck was hot against Blair's hand, but unlike the fiery sun beating down on them, it was a heat she wanted to feel. Chuck suddenly pushing her messy curls off her face and beginning to kiss across her jaw to the column of her throat was a sensation she didn't mind either. Her fingernails dug into his skin and she tipped her head back, while his mouth worked lower to her collarbone.

When Chuck's tongue swiped against her pulse point, Blair couldn't help but gasp. "Chuck…"

Without haste, Chuck lazily halted his movements, but held his face to Blair's neck for a moment, taking a series of calming breaths.

"I've changed my mind…" Chuck announced quietly, and then pulled back to look into Blair's blown pupils. "You can't come to New Orleans with me."

Blair smiled slyly, and slid her fingertips into his dark hair. "Why?"

"You're a horrible distraction…I'll never get there anyway." Chuck answered, and a grin broke out over his face.

"But we have to…you wouldn't want the Yankees to come steal me away, would you?" Blair teased in a low whisper.

Chuck shook his head and pressed their lips together once more. "Not a chance."

"Good…" Blair replied back, as they parted.

"Very good…now, come on. I have something I want to show you…" Chuck explained, looking over his shoulder to make sure the horse was following, as they continued walking. "It's not very far."

*****

Hours and miles later, Chuck was nearly dragging his two companions along, one by her hand and the other by his lead rope.

"You said it wasn't very far!" Blair complained, while Chuck pulled at her hand to keep her walking.

"It wouldn't be very far, if you would just walk faster!" Chuck shouted in an aggravated voice, as he struggled against the taut lead rope. At the moment, both Blair and his horse were turning against him, but Chuck thought it a little more reasonable for the horse, who was carrying all the weight of his equipment to be tired, rather than a certain brunette.

Blair huffed loudly and dramatically, and then jerked her hand away to gather all her hair in her hands and pile it atop her head for a few seconds. She was trying to cool the sweat on her neck, but with virtually no breeze in the middle of the open field they were walking through, her efforts were pointless.

"I can't! It's too hot…I have to stop!" Blair continued to whine, dropping her hair down.

Chuck rolled his eyes, and snatched her hand again. "We can't stop here, it's too open, and besides that won't help you cool off anyway!"

Blair just made a disgusted noise, and allowed herself to be pulled forward. Chuck wanted to find the cover of trees again, and get away from the openness of what had probably once been some sort of plantation crop.

"Just a little further…" He reassured. The tree line was visible in the distance, and he knew after that his destination was fairly close.

"Fine! But where are we going anyway!?" Blair shouted.

"It's a surprise…" Chuck answered, sounding a little too amused. It had occurred to Blair after only a short time of knowing him that this man found it entertaining to see her flustered.

"It better be a good one." Blair all but growled, setting her eyes on the approaching forest.

When they finally made it to the shaded area under the trees, Blair dropped down against the first stump she saw, letting her head fall back and her eyes close.

"No, come on, Blair."

"Let me sit a moment, and tell me where we're going. Otherwise, I'll stay here all day."

A sigh escaped Chuck's lips, as well as a mumble about an 'absolutely difficult woman.' Then, he suddenly grabbed Blair's hand and pulled her to her feet, before quickly hoisting her over his shoulder.

"No, you won't…" He laughed, as Blair squealed and kicked her feet.

"Put me down this instant!" Blair screamed, fisting her hands in the grey material of Chuck's shirt.

"Oh no, it's really no trouble at all, I'll just carry you the rest of the way." Chuck answered nonchalantly, as if Blair hadn't just demanded that he put her down.

Blair eventually stopped kicking, but Chuck kept walking, and after a few moments, the sound of water flowing and sloshing over rocks could be heard.

"Is that the river? Are you going to drown me, now?" Blair asked sarcastically, from her position slung over Chuck's shoulder.

Chuck just laughed, and adjusted his grip on her leg. "I hadn't thought of it…but yes, maybe I will!"

"You wouldn't dare…" Blair mumbled, feeling Chuck come to a stop at the bank of the river, and then place her back on the ground. Her fist swiftly punched him in the shoulder, and she looked up at him in annoyance. "Are you through man handling me now!?"

"Yes…now look." Chuck stated, pointing to a grassy opening along the river where the bank gradually sloped into the slow current.

Blair nearly cried with relief looking at the sparkling water. After traveling for days through dusty, muddy, and hot terrain, the river was the most inviting thing she had seen by far. Except for Chuck, but she wasn't going to tell him that.

"I thought you might want to clean up and cool off…" Chuck whispered in her ear, placing his hands on her hips and his chin on her shoulder. Turning around, Blair kissed his cheek lightly, before moving to his lips.

"Thank you, that was thoughtful of you…" Blair whispered. If only he knew how much she needed to cool off, but something about the way his lips brushed her ear and his fingertips pressed into her waist, gave her a heated feeling that water alone wasn't going to wash away.

**Thanks for reading, I hope you all liked it! :)**


	5. It Burns

Chapter 5 – It Burns

Blair sat down along the bank of the river and began unlacing her now worn out boots, while Chuck worked at unbridling and unsaddling the horse. She pulled one boot off and winced at the reddened and blistered flesh. Experimentally, she dipped her foot into the water, hissing at first from the initial sting, but then letting the cold water numb her skin. She repeated the same action with the other foot, and then waited for Chuck to join her.

"Feeling better?" Chuck asked as he sat down beside her, ridding himself of his own heavy, black boots.

"Yes…it's nice here." Blair answered, not looking at Chuck, but at the sunlight shining on the water.

Suddenly, Chuck stood up and began unbuttoning his grey jacket. Blair tried to keep her eyes on his face as he smiled down at her, but that proved to be impossible when Chuck grabbed the hem of his white undershirt and pulled it over his shoulders. The shirt fell to the ground, but Blair's gaze didn't follow, she was too busy watching Chuck's muscular back as he jumped into the river.

Chuck broke through the surface of the water again, shaking his head to remove the water from his eyes. "Now, it's even better!"

"Of course…" Blair replied, obvious distraction in her voice. Chuck had stood up, and his naked chest was in plain sight, while he reemerged from the water.

He walked past Blair, to the saddle lying on the ground and then began pulling his rifle from its leather slip. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Blair was wondering what he was up to, but those thoughts were being dulled by the image of Chuck's abdominal muscles rippling as he bent over, reaching for other items.

After a few minutes of her staring, Chuck finally turned to Blair, as he lazily rested the barrel of the gun over his shoulder. "I have to find something for us to eat, but you can stay here and…" Chuck's eyes darted to the water and then back to Blair, suddenly he seemed distracted too. "Do whatever you like."

"Um…alright." Blair stammered a little, and then watched as the man a few feet away nodded quickly, before turning to walk away.

"Oh, Blair? There's a pistol in that bag, there…" Chuck explained, motioning to the bag on the ground with a smirk. He was serious, but there was no reason why he shouldn't mess with Blair's head a bit. "In case any Indians decide to come take you away."

With a swish of her hand and an incredulous pursing of her lips, Blair showed her disbelief in the statement. "There aren't any Indians around."

"I guess you'll find out." Chuck replied with nonchalance, and hunched his shoulders before disappearing into the forest.

Blair just rolled her eyes, waiting a few minutes to make sure Chuck was out of sight, before stripping off her clay covered clothes and wading into the river.

*****

When Chuck eventually wandered back to the clearing, holding two rabbits, he immediately spotted a sleeping Blair. He dropped the animals on the ground, and took a few more steps, taking in the sight before him.

She had spread out a blanket on the grass, and was now curled up on her side, fast asleep under the waning afternoon sun. Her dark hair was tied back into a braid, and she had obviously gone through the bags because she was wearing her pantalets and one of Chuck's white shirts.

After pulling out his map and moving to the edge of the blanket, Chuck slowly knelt and sat down next to Blair. His hand hovered a moment, before tentatively resting on the warm material covering the curve of her waist. Blair's eyelids fluttered open from the light touch and she smiled sleepily as she turned onto her back to face Chuck.

The action moved his hand to her stomach, but before Chuck could remove it, Blair had set her own on top of it, smoothing her fingertips over his knuckles. Neither of the two really knew what was happening between them, but it felt right, and even though they hadn't spoke about it, each of them had already decided that they didn't want it to stop.

"The Indians told me that they didn't mind if we stayed here." Blair told Chuck, a soft smile still on her lips as she looked up at him.

"I believe it, they probably thought you were one of their own…" Chuck replied with a laugh, running his fingers over her damp braided hair and her sunburned cheek bones. Her own fingertips raised to brush the tender skin, finding it hot and sore from her time spent in the sunlight.

"I don't suppose you have a parasol with you?" Blair joked.

Chuck raised his eyebrows, as if thinking a while, and then shook her head. "I'm afraid not."

"I don't even want to imagine the freckles I'll have." Blair scoffed, thinking of how her prefect, pale skin was being ruined.

"Don't worry, you'll still be gorgeous."

Blair chuckled and threw Chuck's hand from her stomach, before sitting up. "You're a real charmer, aren't you?"

"No, no, I'm only a gentleman." Chuck answered smoothly.

Blair gave him a look of mock disapproval. "Of course, you are. Now, show me what you have there."

"This is how we're going to get to New Orleans…" Chuck announced, unfolding the wrinkled and slightly faded paper to reveal a map of the Confederate States. A thick black line could be seen weaving through southern Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and finally Louisiana.

"We're going to follow that path?" Blair asked, linking her arm through Chuck's and placing her head on his shoulder. She could tell his explanation might take a while, but she was content just listening to his voice.

"Yes, we've already made it this far." Chuck stated, and pointed out a section of the black line which roughly indicating where they were staying. He traced his index finger a little farther down to where the line intersected with a blue line representing the Chattahoochee River and the border between Georgia and Alabama.

"In a day or so we'll come to the border, and then we have to cross into Alabama through the river, you should know about that…" Chuck trailed off, concentrating on the map in front of him.

Blair lifted her head, not liking the hint of uncertainty in his tone. "Why? What happens then?"

He didn't want to worry her, but he supposed it better that she knew. "Well, considering that it's a major waterway and that there are a lot of troops in the area…there is a good chance that Yankees could be stationed along the river."

"Oh…" Blair answered softly. Chuck immediately noticed the way her grip automatically became a little tighter around his bicep, when he mentioned their blue uniformed enemies.

"You shouldn't have to worry, Blair." Chuck reassured as he turned to see the nervousness on her face. "We're going to cross during the night…the river can be dangerous at times, but we'll be alright."

Blair eventually nodded her head in approval. "I trust you."

*****

"Too bad we don't have any mint juleps." Chuck commented idly, as he lay stretched out on the blanket with his hands clasped under his head, staring up at the darkened sky.

"Too bad…" Blair echoed, from where she lay only a short distance from him on the grey material. She was lying on her side looking at the orange glow of the fire on Chuck's chest, and letting the coolness of the night wash over her.

"If we were in Charleston we could have had lobster and oysters for dinner."

"That would've been nice…" Blair replied with a laugh, as she sat upright. She hadn't been a fan of the burnt rabbit meat Chuck insisted on her eating.

Chuck followed her movements and sat up as well. "I promise no more rabbit."

"I'm holding you to that promise." Blair threatened, brandishing her finger at Chuck, before turning her head to untie her hair. Chuck watched intently as she freed her dark locks, and then ran her fingers through them, shaking out the waves.

Before Blair could turn back she felt one of Chuck's hands slipping through her curls, and she froze for a moment before relaxing into his touch. His fingers moved further to the back of her neck, and she looked over to find Chuck's dark eyes piercing into hers.

"Blair…" Chuck whispered her name lowly, and then suddenly his lips were crashing into hers and she was returning the kiss with just as much fervor.

The hand that had been on Blair's neck, rapidly moved to wrap around her waist, and Chuck wasted no time in using the other to gently lay her on her back. He held himself on his arms, but his chest resting on Blair's body was causing a comfortable press of heat and friction.

Gasping caused Blair's lips to part, allowing Chuck to slide his tongue against her own, lightly nibbling and sucking. The dizzy feeling in her mind had her fingers grasping at his neck and tangling in his hair, as he continued to leave her breathless.

A slight shift in position, and Chuck had parted Blair's knees, allowing all of his weight to settle between her legs. She could feel him straining against her and this made her tear her lips from his, which in turn made him lean back to search her eyes quizzically.

"I…I've never –"

Blair didn't need to finish the rest of her sentence for Chuck to pull further away, and start murmuring apologies. "I know, I'm sorry…we shouldn't be doing this…"

"No, wait…I want to…I just, I'm nervous." Blair admitted, and her face grew several shades redder, despite already being sun burnt.

Chuck moved back to her, and smoothed his hand over her forehead and into her hair. "Are you sure?"

They kept eye contact while Blair gave an affirmative nod, and until she pulled Chuck's mouth back to her own. His hand traveled to her hip, and soon his fingertips were playing at the waistband of her pantalets.

Pushing himself back, Chuck kneeled between her bent knees, but stilled his hands at her hips. The look in her eyes showed her apprehension, but when Chuck gave her a tender smile and she returned the gesture, she let him know it was alright to move on.

The sensation of her pantalets being slid down her thighs, with Chuck's hands in their wake made a shiver run through her body, and goose bumps broke out over her skin. Once, he had completely removed her pantalets, he reluctantly stopped caressing her skin to unbuckle his belt.

The metallic sound of the buckle opening combined with the sound of Chuck eventually kicking his trousers off, made Blair's heart beat a little faster. He lay down again, but not before pulling his own large shirt off of Blair's small frame.

Once Blair's body was bared before him, Chuck gazed down at the sight of her below him appreciatively. His hands came back to her waist, and he lowered his head, beginning to kiss down her neck to her chest.

"You're so beautiful…" Chuck whispered, as he dragged his mouth back up to Blair's throat. She reacted by tossing her head to the side, giving him more access to suck on the sensitive skin.

Chuck eventually lifted his head, and brought his hand to Blair's jaw, gently turning her face toward his. He rested his forehead on Blair's and looked into her eyes, not seeing any resistance.

She could feel his hardness against her leg, and knew by the look in his eyes that he was asking permission. With a slight nod she agreed, and one of Chuck's hands left her shoulder to reach down between their bodies, positioning himself between her thighs.

"Relax…" Chuck whispered in Blair's ear, waited a few moments, and then slowly pushed into her.

The choked noise Blair made in the back of her throat had Chuck kissing her temple and cheek guiltily, as she flexed her fingers into his shoulders. She gave him a strained smile, which he returned with a smile of his own, before he slowly began thrusting into her.

His pace was timid at first, giving Blair time to adjust, but when her hand pulled at the small of his back he increased the tempo. Blair was gasping into Chuck's neck and placing messy kisses on his shoulders, as she arched her back into his body.

Not being able to help himself, Chuck's thrusts became much harder and faster, but Blair didn't seem to mind. He grasped her upper thigh in his hand and pulled her leg around his waist, sinking deeper and making Blair cry out in pleasure. He continued his fast pace, growling against Blair's skin from exertion and keeping a hold on her thigh.

Moments later, Blair's body was shuddering against Chuck's, as she placed one hand to his cheek and the other behind his head, pulling him against her chest.

"_Chuck…_" She gasped his name, before collapsing back onto the blanket, still holding him against her. A few more thrusts and Chuck followed her over the edge, spilling himself into her and groaning her name.

Blair panted and stroked Chuck's back, as he laid on her chest listening to her rapid heartbeat. Eventually, Chuck lifted himself up and switched their positions, bringing Blair to lie on his chest.

"Are you alright?" Chuck asked her as he wiped away some of the dampness at her hairline, still a little out of breath.

"Yes, very much so…" Blair replied in a dazed voice, before placing a quick peck on his chest and then curling back up against him.

Chuck smiled, and stroked her dark hair, and within a few minutes they were both fast asleep.

**So...hope you all liked it! I hope it doesn't seem too soon for Blair and Chuck to be together, but it's already written now, haha! ;)**

**Thanks for reading!**


	6. The Fall Of Atlanta

Chapter 6 – The Fall Of Atlanta

Waking up in the morning proved to be another pleasurable experience, as Chuck opened his eyes to the feeling of Blair's full lips placing kisses to his jaw and neck. She was lying on her side with her head supported on her hand as she looked at him expectantly.

Chuck's mouth twisted into a mischievous smirk while the memories of the previous night rushed back to him, and he wrapped his arms around Blair, pulling her to straddle his lap as he sat up.

"Good morning, Chuck." Blair purred, tilting her head to the side as he began kissing her shoulder and smoothing his hands down her ribcage to her hips, and back again.

"Mmm…" Chuck's lips hummed on her skin. "Good morning, Blair."

They continued kissing for a while, until Chuck urged Blair to wrap her legs around his waist. He slowly stood up, bringing her with him.

"What are you doing?" Blair asked, as Chuck lifted her. She was just curious of course, because at the moment she could have cared less what Chuck was doing, as long as she was with him.

"_We're_ going for a swim…" He answered, walking into the river and then splashing them down into the water. Blair gasped at the sudden chill, and pressed herself closer to Chuck, lacing her arms around his neck. "We should enjoy it while we're still here, because we have to leave soon."

Blair pouted her lip and rested her forehead against his, trying to use her brown eyes as an advantage, which usually worked. "Can't we just stay here…forever?" She asked innocently, but the slow roll of her hips that accompanied the question proved it anything but innocent.

"Keep doing that and we might have to." Chuck groaned, as he closed his eyes for a moment and reveled in the sensation.

Blair used this as an opportunity to tease him, like he always loved to do to her. Unwinding her fingers from Chuck's neck and bending over backwards, she slicked her hair back with water, effectively pressing her lower body more firmly against his.

He made a quiet hiss noise through his teeth, which was satisfying enough for Blair and she untangled her legs from around his waist. Chuck looked a bit confused as Blair started walking out of the water, and then paused when the water level was about mid-thigh.

"Alright, I'm ready to leave now." Blair announced with a demure smile, while pulling her wet hair over her shoulder and squeezing it out, letting the water run down the length of her naked body.

Chuck was still standing in the river, gaping at her, his jaw slack. Blair just continued to smile, then turned and stepped out of the water to fetch her clothes. After shaking his head and splashing some of the cool water over his face, Chuck followed Blair to do the same.

*****

Chuck insisted that they ride the horse, considering that the terrain was soon going to become more mountainous and there would be plenty of walking involved. But Blair liked to believe that he just wanted to be close to her, and the way he kept sweeping her hair off her shoulders and kissing her neck was proving her thoughts correct.

"Chuck?" Blair's voice cut through the humid air, and broke the silence.

"Yes?"

"You haven't told me about your family. You said you lived in Charleston with them, but you never told me about them."

"What do you want to know?" Chuck asked. Sometimes he and his family found themselves on less than good terms.

Blair was a little confused by Chuck not volunteering the information, but she brushed it off as being nothing. "Tell me about your mother and father, you must miss them."

There was a moment of hesitation before Chuck answered. "Well, not so much…my father is a business man, he owns a leather and fur company so he's quite busy. My mother died when I was younger."

"Oh…I'm sorry to hear that…" Blair responded quietly, she hadn't expected that answer, and Chuck's detached tone certainly didn't go unnoticed.

"Don't be sorry, she died years ago from tuberculosis. I hardly remember her anyway." Chuck stated plainly. His voice didn't reveal any emotion, and when he didn't offer any more information, Blair thought it best to leave the subject alone.

The rest of their ride together went by in near silence as it had before, but this time wasn't as comfortable and there weren't any kisses laid against Blair's skin. She hoped that she hadn't said anything that had upset Chuck, because now he seemed distant as he watched the land slowly moving by. It wasn't until later in the evening, after their long and tiring climb to the top of part of the mountain ridge that they would really reconnect.

They had just made it to the top, and Chuck had slumped down near the sloping edge, while Blair studied his back, absentmindedly combing through the horse's mane. She was confused now. Just last night they hadn't been able to get enough of one another, but now Chuck was hardly speaking to her, and that made her stomach twist with an unfamiliar feeling. Swallowing down her nerves, she gave the horse's warm coat one more pat before tentatively approaching Chuck and kneeling down.

Blair laid her hand on Chuck's shoulder, finding the muscles knotted stiffly under his jacket. "Chuck…I'm sorry if I said anything to upset you earlier."

"No, it's not your fault. It's just that my mother's death brings back certain memories…" Chuck replied, looking out over the uneven valleys, which were becoming increasingly darker as the sun began to set.

"I understand…" Blair answered in a soft voice. Within the last few years, losing people had become a depressing, but regular aspect of her life.

_No, you don't…because it's a lie…_Chuck's mind was screaming, but he would rather not tell her that his mother had died giving birth to him and that his father's remaining bitterness over the fact continued to strain their relationship. It was something he would rather not think about, let alone talk about.

"Yes, you do…now, come here." He stated with a hint of a smile, giving her the more appropriate answer as he turned to look at her somewhat concerned face.

Blair couldn't help but smile back, as Chuck opened his arms, motioning for her to sit between his legs. She began to move into position and just as she was about to settle her back against Chuck's chest, the sound of what seemed like far away thunder echoed over the landscape.

Blair's spine straightened, and both she and Chuck went quiet, practically holding their breath. The stillness seemed to hang in the air as they waited for the sound to be repeated, and even though they were awaiting the next rumbling of noise, it still made them flinch a little when it happened, only this time louder.

"Chuck, what is that?" Blair quizzed, her voice obviously laced with fear, as her eyes flitted around trying to locate the source. She knew what the cannons sounded like; she had listened to them each day at Red Ridge, but this was not the same.

As soon as the question had left Blair's mouth and he had spotted the black smoke languidly rising into the dusky sky, Chuck had realized where the explosions where coming from.

"It's Atlanta…" He murmured quietly, and then wrapped a reassuring arm around Blair's waist, finally pulling her rigid form against him. "They're blowing up the warehouses to keep the supplies from the Yankees."

Blair took a sharp breath. "They're giving up…" Her words were somewhere between a statement and a shocked accusation.

Chuck shook his head in a sad agreement, and continued watching the plumes of smoke reach higher. "There's nothing left for them to do."

Blair nodded her head also, not closing her eyes for a second as night began to fall and the blackness of smoke was replaced with faint, glowing orange. Miles away the fallen city was burning, but no matter how far they ran, they couldn't escape the spreading destruction.

"Everything will be alright someday…the South will heal."

At that moment, Blair wasn't sure if she could believe Chuck's comment, but she hoped with everything she had that one day it would be proven true.

*****

"You should have tried to sleep last night, Blair." Chuck said as he grasped her hand to keep her from slipping on the shale and gravel, while they descended the other side of the ridge.

"I just couldn't…" Blair answered. Her eyes were stinging now from the lack of rest, but with the blasts in Atlanta sounding into the early morning, she just couldn't relax enough to sleep.

"We're almost to the bottom, and then you can rest. We'll have to wait for night fall so we can cross the river anyway."

Blair yawned in agreement, making Chuck laugh as he slowed his steps so the horse could carefully maneuver its way down the slope. The last ledge had been too high for the horse to step off from though, so Chuck had to lead him to another area to get down.

Barely able to keep her eyes open, Blair didn't feel like following Chuck because it would take longer, so instead she sat down and slipped over the edge. She knew he wasn't far behind, so she continued to walk through the trees that had grown up to the foot of the mountain. She meandered along slowly, allowing Chuck to keep her in view as he began to catch up with her.

The wind was blowing in gentle gusts, and as they walked further, it seemed to carry a pungent odor. Blair was still leading the way, and the deeper she walked into the forest the stronger the smell became and she wrinkled her nose in disgust.

Suddenly, a large mass lying on the ground came into focus and a sick feeling of nausea washed over Blair as she realized what is was. There were decomposing bodies littering the forest floor, left to rot after a small battle had taken place.

Blair clapped her hand over her mouth, and abruptly turned around, trying to quickly stumble away from the scene. She hardly made it a few paces before throwing herself onto her knees and vomiting up the little amount of food she had eaten that morning.

"Blair, what's wrong!?" Chuck shouted, letting go of the horse's lead rope and sprinting over to where she was still retching violently.

Once he drew closer to Blair, he could smell and see what she had before, and he grimaced at the carnage in front of him. Unfortunately, the sight wasn't enough to make him feel sick any longer for he had seen this many times. Turning away, he knelt down beside Blair and pulled a handkerchief from his pocket. He pressed it into the hand that Blair had clutching her throat, and she gladly accepted, using the fabric to cover her nose and mouth.

Chuck dug around in another one of his uniform pockets until he came across another square of material, and then folded it and tied it around his face. Blair was taking deep breaths, trying to calm her body down, keeping the barrier between her face and the stale smelling air.

"What are you doing!?" Blair asked in surprise, when Chuck rose from her side and began walking towards one of the bodies, which was clad in Union blue.

"I have to check them." Chuck replied through his makeshift bandana, and then started unbuttoning the cuffs of his jacket, and rolling up his sleeves.

Blair's mouth gaped open in dismayed horror behind the cloth at what he had just said. "For what!?"

"Valuables…we might need them in New Orleans…" Chuck answered plainly, before beginning to carry out his task. Blair clumsily stood up, and started walking back towards the mountain, grabbing the side of the horse's bridle and dragging him along with her.

She felt herself start to gag again just thinking about what Chuck was doing behind her, as she listened to the rustling noises he was making. The horse provided a distraction, and she led it away, until the air was clear and she couldn't hear the soft thuds of Chuck moving the bodies around.

After what seemed like hours, Chuck finally made his way back to where Blair and the horse were standing with their backs to the old battle field. He was holding his hands away from himself, and looking at Blair expectantly. Her eyes were glaring at him, going back and forth between his hands and face.

"Blair…get the water please, help me wash off my hands." Chuck requested quietly, and then watched her snag the canteen from where it had been hanging around the pommel of the saddle.

She hastily unscrewed the cap, and began dumping its contents over Chuck's hands, not stopping until all the water was gone. "That was wrong, Chuck."

"I know, Blair, I'm sorry, but it had to be done…"

"We can draw out money in New Orleans, you don't have to go pillaging bodies like a savage!" Blair spat, gesturing to Chuck with disdain.

"I already told you, the Confederacy's money is gone, it's not worth anything now." He tried reasoning with her once again, just as he had when Blair decided that she wanted to stay in Atlanta.

"Apparently their morals are gone too…" Blair stated sarcastically, as she tossed the strap of the canteen back over the pommel.

"Blair, this isn't something I wanted to do. The only reason I did it is for our sake of escaping to Charleston." Chuck explained, and he could already see some of the disgust fading from Blair's eyes. He knew she understood, but at the same time it was difficult to accept.

"Fine, but don't think you'll be holding my hand any time soon!" Blair snapped, but a small smirk was beginning to show on her lips.

**Thanks for reading! The next few chapters are going to be more dramatic, so get ready!**


	7. The River

Chapter 7 – The River

Somewhere between trying to get Blair to rest before the night ahead of them and her insisting that she wouldn't be able to sleep, Chuck had come up with a perfect solution to tire her out. Now, she was lying against Chuck's bare side fast asleep, while he idly brushed his fingertips up and down her arm.

He could have lain like that forever, but he knew he had to prepare for crossing the river that evening. Slowly, he lifted Blair's head from his shoulder trying not to wake her, but she began to stir anyway.

"Where are you going?" She whispered, placing her hand on his bicep to keep him from moving.

Chuck gently removed her fingers and kissed the back of her knuckles. "I have to get some things ready for tonight, but we still have to wait a few hours. Go back to sleep, alright?"

Blair nodded silently, and tucked her hand under the side of her face, smiling softly as she closed her eyes again. As Chuck buckled his belt and watched her falling back to sleep, he couldn't help the smug smirk that twisted his lips. He had seen that expression on many women's faces, but on Blair's features, it looked so much better.

He left his jacket where it was draped over Blair's hips, opting to wear only his undershirt. After shrugging it on, he began making his way over the short distance of land which led to the river bank. He had to inspect the area to make sure that they would be able to cross in a fairly safe manner.

Standing at the edge of the water, Chuck raised his hand to his brow to block the sun, as he peered down at the water rushing by below. The current didn't seem too fast, nor did the water seem very deep, the width from bank to bank only stretched about fifteen yards, but he was still apprehensive about having to go through the vast expanse.

Just after he had convinced himself that everything would fine, he turned to walk back, but stopped abruptly from the faint sounds of voices carrying across the river. Chuck dropped down onto his stomach, and kept his head low, peering through the grass.

It took him a moment to place the location of the voices, but as he continued to study the area on the opposite bank, he could see men weaving in between the trees. There were three Yankees walking together along the river, each with a rifle slung over his shoulder as they appeared to be hunting

Chuck suddenly had a strong urge to run back to where Blair was still sleeping, even though he knew that at the small distance they were apart, he would have heard her if she needed him. He couldn't though, because the Yankees talking aimlessly across the river surely would have spotted him if he stood up straight.

He waited impatiently until he could no longer see their navy uniforms, and made sure their sounds were no longer audible, before pushing himself up and running back. Just as he had left her, Blair was still sleeping soundly and completely unaware of the dangers that lay just on the other side of the river.

Chuck grabbed one of his bags, and sat down against a tree, making sure to face the direction of the water. He spilled the items onto the ground, quickly taking one of the pistols and beginning to fill it with black powder and bullets. After he finished loading the first, he repeated the same steps with the second gun. When he laid them back on the ground, the clink of the barrels coming together caused Blair to flinch, but she didn't fully wake.

He needed her to stay asleep for just a little longer because he had already decided that he would not tell her about the Yankees. They would cross the river and be far from their presence before dawn, there was no need to worry her.

Slipping his boot knife from its sheath, he checked its edge by brushing it over the skin of his thumb, wanting to feel the drag of sharpness. For trying so strongly keep his mind on their safe crossing and escape, his own actions were belying his confidence.

"Chuck…"

Suddenly, Blair's sleepy voice nearly had Chuck stabbing the knife through his hand as his body started. Blair didn't even seem to notice, she was too busy stretching her arms over her head and rolling onto her back, making the jacket slide lower down her waist. This was something that Chuck might have appreciated at any other time, but instead he slid the knife back into place and moved toward Blair, trying to keep a cool exterior.

Chuck lay down on his stomach by Blair's side, and rested his hand on the soft skin over her hip bone. "Did you have a nice nap?"

Blair pursed her lips and fluttered her eyes closed, stretching out again before bringing one of her hands to the side of Chuck's neck. "Well…it was fine, but it would have been better if you were here with me."

For a moment the desire in Blair's brown eyes served in distracting Chuck from his previous thoughts, and he focused on her fingernails tracing through his dark hair. But before he could stop her, or even want to stop her, Blair had pulled his face forward and had begun kissing his jaw line.

"Blair…" Chuck whispered, as she pushed him onto his back and straddled his hips. Of all the times she could have chose, it had to be the most worrisome and inappropriate time of the entire journey, thus far.

Blair grasped his shoulders and kneaded his tense muscles in her hands, ignoring his comment and giving him a suggestive smile. Her head dipped down, and her warm breath brushed against his ear. "The sun isn't down yet, we still have time."

"We can't…" Chuck groaned, fighting the sensation of her bearing the weight of her body against him.

"Come on, _Chuck_." Blair urged. Her voice was husky and low, as she rested the entire length of her naked body on his chest.

"No, Blair." Chuck stated simply, and gripped her hips, moving her off. "Now, you have to get dressed."

"Why? Is something wrong?" Blair complained.

Chuck had moved to a kneeling position, and at the moment he just couldn't handle Blair's temper or telling her about the Yankees, so he did something that usually worked in keeping her calm. He placed both of his hands on her cheeks, and turned her disappointed face up to his.

"No, sweetheart, I'll give you whatever you want later, but you're just going to have to wait for now." Chuck said and then smoothed a piece of her hair behind her ear.

Blair cracked a pleased smile just as Chuck thought she would, but when she arched her eyebrow and asked her next question, it caught him off guard. "I'm your sweetheart?"

"Well…" Chuck began uncertainly and then just decided to answer her honestly. "Of course, you are."

"Alright, I suppose I can wait then." Blair smiled up at him, after letting the endearment sink in a moment.

*****

Chuck finished lighting the torch he had made from a length of branch and a strip of cloth, and then turned towards Blair, illuminating their faces against the darkness. "Are you ready, Blair?"

"Oh, Chuck, how hard can it be to walk across a river?" Blair asked incredulously, as she rolled her eyes.

Chuck lowered his head to give her a serious look. "I told you about this, we have to be careful."

"We will be careful, and yes I am ready." She replied, putting her hand into Chuck's so that she could stay close to him as they walked through the dark forest to the river.

It only took a few minutes for the sound of fast rushing water to meet their ears, and soon they were standing on the edge. Chuck handed the torch to Blair, and she held it while he took a long rope from one of the saddlebags.

"This will help us keep our footing…he's strong enough to hold us if one of us slips." Chuck announced, as he wrapped one end of the rope around the pommel of the horse's saddle multiple times, before securing it with a knot. He pulled heavily on the rope, testing his weight against its strength.

Blair nodded wordlessly and watched carefully as Chuck then tied part of the rope around his waist, the hard look of concentration on his features was beginning to make her feel nervous. After he finished, Chuck stepped closer to Blair and passed the remaining few feet of rope around her waist.

He kneeled down before her, and began weaving the rope together in knots that Blair could hardly follow. She studied his fingers lacing the rope through different loops, and then cinching it closed. Chuck slipped his fingers between Blair's body and the rope, tugging slightly to make sure it wasn't wrapped too loosely around her.

"Does it feel tight enough?" Chuck asked, keeping his fingers against Blair. She could only nod again, and even though she was assuring him that the knot was tight, he still pulled further until it began to squeeze uncomfortably at her skin.

"You're making me nervous." Blair blurted out suddenly. She hadn't thought that Chuck would take this situation quite so intently. He was usually so playful that surely his seriousness now had to mean something.

Chuck stood up again and put his hands on Blair's shoulders, looking at the apprehension that was starting to show in her eyes. "We're going to be fine, I just want to be sure."

"Alright…" Blair answered quietly.

"You just hold the torch until I get the horse into the water, and then I'll help you down." Chuck motioned to the somewhat high bank, before jumping down into the black water below. He reached up and caught the horse by his bridle, urging him to step down. But with the limited amount of light, it took a bit of goading from Chuck to eventual get the horse to work up enough courage to splash into the river.

Once in the water, the horse began tossing his head nervously and trying to raise himself onto his hind legs. Chuck kept his grip on the bridle and rubbed his muzzle, and after a few moments he had the horse standing calmly by his side.

"Give me that…" Chuck stated, and then took the torch which Blair held out to him. "Now, your hand…"

Blair clasped her fingers around Chuck's palm, and he helped her as she slipped down the bank. As soon as she stepped into the water, she could feel the cold water reaching to her thighs and the current pushing against her. A sudden tremor ran through her body from a combination of the chilled liquid and nerves. While Blair momentarily concentrated on the water seeping further up her pant legs, Chuck tested the knots in the rope one last time.

"Alright, Blair. I'll lead the horse, just follow behind me and walk slowly, the rocks can be slippery."

She gave a final nod, and she and Chuck began moving towards the west bank of the river. With every step the pressure of the current swirling past their legs seemed to increase and the water became deeper. The horse easily recognized the risks in the situation, and Chuck had to keep shouldering him along to move further.

By the time they had made it nearly half way, the water was lapping at Blair's chest and making her clothes cling to her body. Her pulse was beginning to quicken, and she searched under the surface for the rope connecting her to Chuck.

He was only leading by a couple of paces, but Blair didn't like even the short distance between them so she stepped forward quickly. But just as she was about to put her foot down, the horse stumbled and the rope around her waist jerked her body and threw her off balance. She desperately clawed at the back of Chuck's jacket, fisting the material in her hand to keep her upright.

"Damnit, you stupid beast! Come on!" Chuck yelled, suddenly pulling and straining harshly on the bridle to guide the horse out of the hole his hoof was caught in, causing him to drop the torch into the water.

The hiss of the flames being extinguished punctuated the rushing of the water, and they were immediately enveloped by the blackness of the night. Blair frantically reached her other hand out for Chuck's back in the blindness, but still struggling with the horse; he violently shrugged her hands away.

"Don't move, Blair!" He barked over his shoulder, and she immediately let go even though she didn't want to lose the contact, because she couldn't see anything.

Suddenly, the sounds of both the horse and Chuck thrashing in the water stopped, and all that could be heard was Chuck's labored breathing. Blair was trying to stay still, but her heart was beating so fast now she could hardly think. She didn't want to feel the water pulling at her anymore, nor did she want to cross the remainder of the river without the guidance of light.

"Chuck, let's go back!" Blair pleaded, and stretched her hand out in front of her until her fingertips brushed Chuck's arm.

"We're not going back, just keep walking!" Chuck answered, his voice sounding uncharacteristically gruff and irritated. He was just as shaken as Blair was, considering that if the horse's misstep had been any worse they all could have been swept away.

Blair bit into her lip and did as she was told, feeling the rope going taut as Chuck started moving forward again. The next few steps brought the water level nearly to her shoulders, and just as she was about to beg Chuck to stop, the horse shrieked loudly and her head was rapidly pulled under the water.

As the river pushed her downstream, disorientation struck quickly and her arms flailed, trying to reach the surface. But before Blair could break through the water, her body collided with something, and the most intense pain she had ever felt exploded through the left side of her face.

The sensation made her reflexively gasp from the pain, and she inhaled deeply, bringing water into her lungs. Her chest had begun to burn from lack of oxygen anyway, and in the haziness of pain and being underwater, she could feel another source tightly constricting and pulling against her.

But then suddenly it was gone, and some of the pressure was released. Her hands, which were still in a panic, grasped whatever objects the river had pushed her into and she was able to break through to the air. Blair was coughing as she worked to breathe again, and by touch she realized that what she was caught against was a tangle of boulders and logs.

Water was still washing past her swiftly, but she slowly began extending her hands into the direction in which she believed the opposite bank to be. Fortunately, she could grasp the branches that were stuck in the mass of debris, and she began pulling herself along.

Blair repeated her actions, until finally, she slapped her hand out and it landed on a thatch of grass hanging from the bank. Her feet felt heavy, but she pushed herself up onto the bank, which made her head throb in a dizzying way.

As soon as she felt the dry, solid ground beneath her hands and knees, she began choking up the water she had inhaled, desperately trying to breathe again. The more deep breaths she took, the stronger the pain in the side of her face became, and her eyes involuntarily filled with tears.

Sobbing heavily, Blair experimentally brought her fingertips to her left brow, lightly touching the area where the pain seemed to be radiating from. She felt the stickiness of the blood, but since she was already wet and in the dark, she wasn't aware that the blood from the two gashes across her eyebrow was already spilling down her face, neck, and chest. Blair held her palm over the injury, trying to hold back the shaky sobs which only seemed to intensify the pain.

After several long minutes, Blair calmed herself down enough to realize through her shocked state, that something was missing. It wasn't as if she could see through the night anyway, and even if she wanted to, she could already feel her eye beginning to swell. But all she could hear around her were the noises of the river and nothing else, and she raised her head abruptly.

"Chuck?" She cried quietly, sending the stabbing pain shooting through her temple again. She pressed against the cuts a little harder, trying to block some of the pain.

"Chuck…" She called out louder, but the only answer she got was the rushing of the river and her head.

**So the drama begins! My apologies for any mistakes, I stayed up to write this and I'm suuuuper tired!**


	8. Bleeding Out

Chapter 8 – Bleeding Out

Blair pushed against the ground, clumsily trying to stand up on her feet. She tried to ignore the warm gushes of liquid trickling down the side of her face, as she felt around her waist for the rope Chuck had tied there earlier. Her fingertips quickly found where the rope ended in a blunt cut, not as if it had been frayed.

Her mind spun nauseatingly, as she realized that Chuck had severed the rope to keep her from drowning. Overwhelming fear and a touch of anger consumed her. He had cut her loose, but now he was most likely dead in the river and she had no way to find him.

Trying to concentrate in the darkness, Blair reached her hand out in front of her body, and took her first steps forward. A wave of dizziness hit her from the movement, and she side stepped, causing her to throw her arm out for balance and clap her hand over her bloodied eye.

Once she regained her footing, she took another slow and tentative step. She wasn't sure what she thought she was going to do, but maybe if she had made it to the bank, Chuck had too.

"Chuck…_Chuck_!" Blair screamed, keeping her hand to her brow to prepare for the blasts of pain that she knew were going to shoot through her face.

The silence that ensued as she fumbled along the bank caused more tears to drip through her lashes, and she blinked her uninjured eye rapidly trying to shed the moisture in an attempt to see. Her breathing was shaky and uneven, but when Chuck's words flashed back to her, she momentarily stopped breathing all together.

"…_there is a good chance that Yankees could be stationed along the river."_

Blair's teeth were beginning to chatter out of fear, and her soaked clothing didn't serve in helping the situation either. She rolled her lips into her mouth, letting her teeth pulse into the flesh instead of having them click together noisily.

What was she supposed to do now? She couldn't call for Chuck if someone was going to hear her, but if she didn't…it was just too much to think about through the pain and weakness she was beginning to feel.

Without really recognizing what she was doing, Blair continued walking, but unbeknownst to her she was moving further and further from the river. The cuts above her eye were still causing blood to rush down the left side of her face and even though forming coherent thoughts was becoming difficult, she distantly realized that she needed to stop the flow.

Blair sat down on the ground and started unbuttoning the uniform jacket she was wearing as best she could. When it was open, she grabbed the hem of the thin undershirt and yanked, pulling a strip of the material away from the rest of the shirt. She wadded the cloth in her fingers and cupped her hand over her face once more.

Standing proved to be harder than the first time, and when her body lurched from not being able to keep up with her brain, she fell back onto her knees. She placed her free hand on the ground, and took a few deep breaths, willing her head to halt its spinning. Finally, Blair made it to her feet again and continued the increasingly difficult task of walking.

The rivulets of liquid weren't tickling down her skin anymore, but the cloth under her fingers was quickly becoming soggy with moisture. Eventually, it became too slick for her trembling hand to keep in place and it fell to the ground.

"Damnit…" Blair sobbed in frustration, and with drunken movements she pawed at the ground, trying to recover the material. But her efforts failed her in the dark, and she gave up, instead deciding to use her hand, which pushed a mix of dirt and other matter into the gashes.

If she had been thinking clearly, Blair would have known that that was the worst thing she could have done and she most likely would not have kept walking through the forest aimlessly. She didn't even know what she was doing anymore because the dull, yet sharp throbbing behind her eye socket was getting the better of her.

Her foot hovered lazily in the air, before retreating back to the ground. Though she soon found out that there wasn't any ground for it to settle on and she stumbled forward, before falling heavily onto her stomach. With a final surge of energy, she struggled against her own limbs in order to roll herself onto her back.

Blair's lips parted, and she focused on the air exiting past them, as her only open eye gazed blankly up at the black sky. Very faint thoughts of Chuck and her bleeding face pushed at her mind weakly, but it hurt too much to attempt to think, and soon her consciousness slipped away.

*****

Chuck blinked his eyes slowly against the harsh sunlight beaming down on him, and the cold, wet sensation lapping at his legs swiftly reminded him of what had happened. His chest felt tight from inhaling water, but he didn't give himself time to assess his body for any injuries he might have sustained, before he jumped to his feet. His gaze darted to different areas around him, frantically searching for any sign of Blair's small form.

When he didn't immediately see her, he touched the rope at his waist and followed its length to where it ended at the horse's body lying dead on the gravelly shore. A grimace crossed his features as he looked at one of the horse's front legs, which was twisted and broken at an odd angle.

The sight was a little sickening, but he kneeled next to the horse anyway and rapidly began pulling items of importance from the saddlebags. His pistols were completely drenched and that caused vague concern, as he pushed them into the waistband of his trousers. Chuck could have cared less about any of the objects he was digging through, because at the moment, the only thing racing through his head was Blair. Though he knew they would need some of the equipment, so whatever represented its usefulness was stuffed into one of the bags, before he started jogging back upstream.

Chuck knew better than to start yelling for Blair, considering that there were Yankees around and he wasn't quite sure how near he was to them. He was trying desperately to keep himself calm, telling himself that he would find her, but images of Blair's lifeless body washed up on the bank somewhere miles down the river kept flashing through his mind.

He continued to run for an immeasurable amount of time, until the area of land in front of him began to look familiar. Breathing heavily, he turned about frantically, studying different locations of the river looking for the sight of fair skin and dark hair. It wasn't until his eyes fell to the pale green grass along the bank, instead of the flowing water, that something caught his attention.

Walking a few quick steps closer, Chuck suddenly realized that the dark spots on the blades of grass were blood, and a deep exhalation of relief escaped his chest. Blair was alive, and if she was strong enough to move around she couldn't be that badly injured, although the amount of blood staining the ground did make him blanch. He didn't think he could handle finding her dead, from having bled out from whatever injury was making her lose blood so profusely.

Chuck could see where her little footprints led into the forest, and suddenly he was filled guilt, just thinking about her wandering alone while she was wounded. He tried not to think of how scared she had to be and the volume of dried blood splattered on the ground, as he started following the tracks her boots had left.

*****

"That animal has to be around here somewhere, it should have bled to death by now…" A fair haired man's deep voice cut through the stillness of the forest. The two other men walking next to him were cradling rifles in the crooks of their elbows, as they inspected the ground carefully, eyeing the frequent droplets of blood on the leaves and soil.

One of the men, who was tall and stocky, roughly nudged the younger man with brown hair next to him. "That must've been some shot…"

"Wait, look…it has to be in that ditch, there." The same man who had spoken before stated suddenly, looking and pointing to where the ground opened into a dried up creek bed. "Go drag it out."

The younger of the two men by his side, laid his gun on the ground and walked towards the ditch, preparing to pull out the deer they had shot. He grew confident that he had killed the animal as his eyes followed the continual trail of blood, but when he peered over the edge his eyes grew wide in shock.

"I, uh…I think you should see this…" He trailed off, still looking into the ditch.

"Just drag the damn thing out!" The tall man demanded impatiently, resting the butt of his rifle on the ground and leaning on it lazily.

"No, it's not the deer…it's a, a woman, I think she might be dead."

"What the hell are you talking about!?" The blonde shouted, and by the edge of authority in his tone, it was easy to recognize that he held the power over the other men. He stomped over to where one of his charges was standing at the ditch, while the other picked up his rifle and followed along behind.

When the two men were able to see down onto the lower ground, both of their expressions changed from annoyance, to surprise and confusion. Sure enough, there was a woman covered in a vast amount of blood, lying on the ground.

"Why is she in uniform!?" The taller man blurted out, looking down on her body with contempt as he recognized the grey trademark of his enemies.

The leader of the small group shook his head with the same hatefulness. "These Southerners are a strange bunch."

By this time, the youngest of the three men was jumping down into the ditch and kneeling next to the woman's head, examining the gaping cuts on her brow which revealed a glimpse of the bone underneath. He touched the pad of his thumb to her uninjured brow and gently pulled upwards, lifting her eyelid. When her glazed eye rolled slightly and a quiet moan could be heard in the back of her throat, he abruptly withdrew his hand.

"She's not dead, she's waking up. We need to take her back and help her, she's wounded pretty badly." He exclaimed, looking up to his two companions. Both of their faces looked incredulous to his statement.

The tall man's upper lip sneered as he gave the woman's body another glance. "No, leave her, she is going to die anyway…"

Just as he was finishing his sentence, another noise slipped past the woman's dry lips. All three of the men looked at her, finding that her other eye, which wasn't swollen, purplish, and crusted shut with blood was now open and desperately trying to focus.

"We can't just leave her here, she's hurt!"

Her pupil moved to the source of the sound at an excruciatingly slow pace, and when it settled on the young man dressed in dark blue, her legs and arms twitched in a pitiful attempt at moving. She squeezed her eye shut and a whimper reached the men's ears.

A laugh erupted from the taller man's mouth as he shook his head, finding some sort of humor in the situation. "She's a rebel, she's part of them…leave her here."

The lead man shook his head also, but this time it was in disagreement. "He's right, we have to bring her with us…if she doesn't die out here, she'll tell people where we are."

Hearing his leader's words, the kneeling man in the ditch worked his arms beneath the woman and picked her body up off the ground, causing her to groan in pain. He hoisted her high enough for the other man to take her out of the ditch, and he snorted in disgust before eventually lifting her into his arms.

Not wanting to help her anyway, he let her head hang to the side and her arms bounce limply, as he held her underneath her bent knees and shoulders. She whimpered again while trying to move her arm, and with his face still contorted in anger, he made eye contact with the one dark brown eye staring tiredly back at him.

"No use struggling now…" He stated gruffly, and then watched her eyelid flutter shut after her eye had rolled back into the socket.

**I know, another cliff hanger, I'm evil...but I have to keep you interested somehow, right!? Anyway, hope you all liked it! Thanks for reading!**


	9. A Stay With The Yankees

**Hey! I just wanted to say thanks for all the reviews, I love to know what you all are thinking about this story! Enjoy!**

Chapter 9 – A Stay With The Yankees

Blair's body fell in a heap on the ground, as the man who had been carrying her, let her weight deliberately slip from his arms. "What do you want me to do with her?"

"Tie her to that tree over there…" The leader stated with nonchalance, motioning towards a thick maple tree.

The younger Yankee, who had just fetched a leather bag from one of their tents, looked on with confusion. "Tie her up!? Why do you need to tie her up, we need to cover those cuts!"

"I said we _had_ to bring her, not that we were helping her. I'm not letting you waste our medicine and bandages." The leader barked, dismissing the matter and continuing to direct the other man to tie her up.

Grabbing her by the ankle, he dragged Blair's unconscious form across the dusty clay, not caring at all as the back of her head bumped along the ground. When he got her near the tree, he fisted his hand in the blood stained collar of her jacket, and pulled her back against the tree trunk. It only took a few moments for him to knot her wrists behind her body, and then leave Blair slumped forward, with her chin resting on her chest.

*****

Red. Millions of red granules of clay were all Blair could see when her right eye cracked open slightly, but even those were blurring out and then refocusing at a maddening rate. Her head was pounding in a steady rhythm, and no matter how many times she slowly blinked, her left eye refused to open.

She was so weak that she didn't even try to lift her head, even though the muscles in her neck were straining uncomfortably from hanging at such an odd angle. Blair just kept gazing down at the ground with her depthless, tunnel vision and if she concentrated hard enough, she could hear voices. The noises sounded dull, like someone talking in a cave, as they faintly echoed in her mind and reverberated through her skull.

_"We should just slit her throat and get it over with. Look at those gashes on her face…they're clear down to the bone and they're already infected. She's going to die anyway."_

_"She won't die if you let me help her…"_

_"We'll see how she fares through the night. If she is worse off in the morning, you can put her out of her misery, that way we won't have to carry her all the way back to the main camp."_

Blair heard the words, but she was too far gone from the realm of logical understanding to even care about what they implied. She listened to the hollow voices for a few minutes longer, until they eventually faded away completely.

*****

Chuck followed Blair's winding trail of footprints, along with the unnerving amount of blood sprinkled over them, until he finally came to a dried waterway, where they abruptly stopped at the bottom. He could see where she had been lying on the ground. Hope had filled him when he dashed up to the approaching ditch, he had surely thought she was going to be there, but now he realized that she was nowhere in sight.

Defeat took over his body, replacing hope, and he dropped the bag that had been awkwardly slung over his shoulder. Sitting on the bank of the former stream, Chuck absently gazed at a particularly dark area on the ground.

The last words he had spoken to Blair were awful for him to think about. The last words she had spoken – no pleaded – to him were even worse. Chuck could just imagine what must have been a panicked look on her beautiful face, as he yelled at her to keep walking into the deepening river. His stomach flipped with guilt and surprisingly he couldn't help the mistiness gathering in his eyes, he could not even remember the last time they had kissed.

Chuck swiped the knuckle of his thumb against the corner of his eye, and as he blinked, he noticed a crucial detail of the scene in front of him. Not only were Blair's scuffed footprints visible, but there were also larger, and newer boot marks imprinted into the soil. He narrowed his eyes and mentally berated himself for not seeing them sooner, but the sudden rage taking over his brain quickly dispelled those thoughts.

The Yankees had captured Blair. _His_ Blair. Chuck couldn't even remember how his pistol moved from his waistband to his hand, but his remaining belongings were on his back again, and his jaw was set in a firm line as he meticulously, near maniacally, examined the fresh footprints. How he had not seen them before was beyond him, but Chuck was certain that when he found the men who had made the tracks, they wouldn't live long enough to take many more steps.

*****

It was mid-afternoon, and the three Yankees were lounging around the remnant coals of the previous night's fire. The man who had bound Blair to the tree was napping with his hat pulled over his face, while the other was stealing sympathetic glances at her injury.

The leader of the group was sitting on the ground, crossing his legs in front of him as he picked at his fingernails with a knife, but then he suddenly stood up and walked towards Blair. "Time to ask our little captive a few questions…"

The younger man watched him make his way towards her, but when the blonde haired man kneeled down next to her limp body with knife in hand, he had to look away. If he wasn't allowed to help her, he certainly wasn't going to have any part in hurting her.

The lead Yankee studied Blair's unsuspecting face for a moment, before taking his index and middle fingers and pressing them directly into the cuts on her brow, pushing her head up against the tree trunk. He held her head in place with his fingers, until the direct pressure against the wounds suddenly pulled Blair from her unconscious state, and she yelped in pain, reflexively jerking her face away.

Releasing his fingers, he let her head loll to the side again when she moved. He could tell that she was fading rapidly from blood loss, lack of water, and the developing infection forming above her eye, but he didn't care…that's what he wanted.

"What's your name?" He demanded, and the angriness in his tone made Blair flinch, rather than the harsh look on his face, because as she raised her eye to look at him it was still difficult for her fuzzy vision to focus clearly.

Blair peeled her tongue from the roof of her mouth, as her lips parted, in a possible effort to speak. But the inside of her mouth was so dry that she wasn't sure if she could form the words. Her lips opened a little further, before pressing together slowly to create the first syllable.

She wasn't fast enough for his liking though, because her attempts were swiftly interrupted by a palm clashing with her forehead, and slamming the back of her head up against the tree once more. The jolt vibrated through her skull and traveled directly to her brow bone, making her vision swim with tiny snaps of light and unshed tears.

"Tell me your name!" The man released his hand, only to bring it down to her jaw, giving her head a shake. "Tell me!"

"S-stop…please…" Blair hardly managed to breathe out, before closing her eye, a tear tracing down her cheek. She kept her eye squeezed shut and prepared for whatever repercussions her small protest might have caused, but she was only met with the sensation of cold steel lying against her skin.

Blair let out a startled noise, and she took a deep shaky breath before opening her eye again, and finding the Yankee inches from her face. His knuckles brushed over her lips, as he held the side of his knife to her face and began dragging it down her pale cheek.

"Just die…" His rough voice whispered to her, while he smoothed the blade over her cheek to her chin, and then repeated the action again. "We're going to make sure you do anyway…"

Blair was breathing heavily now, and trying to choke back the cries forming in her chest, as the man in front of her continued to describe how he would kill her. She tried to block out his voice, but his Northern accent persisted in her ear, and soon her brain swirled with different images. Mammy's body lying dead in the yard, her mother's gaunt face as she withered away from typhoid, reading the lines of her father's old letters, the final time her arms were around Chuck's neck.

The last memory tore a sob from her throat. She had lost everything, and in that moment she resigned herself to dying. With a final surge of adrenaline, outrage, and defiance, Blair smashed her forehead into the Yankee's nose, before watching him recoil in pain and then spitting in his face.

Blair liked the way his nostrils flared angrily and his face became crimson with rage, while she panted through her gritted teeth. Time seemed to move slowly as she glared at him and his arm inched higher into the air, before stopping. Blair closed her eyes and bit her bottom lip between her teeth.

When the back of the man's hand collided with Blair's temple, he released an animalistic growl of triumph as the blood immediately began to spill from her cuts. The pain took Blair's breath away and she could only inhale sharply, her hands involuntarily jerking against their restraints, as she tried to bring them up to instinctively cradle her face.

"What are you doing!?" The young soldier who had been sitting near the dying fire was on his feet now, but his actions were quickly cut short.

"Shut up!" The lead Yankee shouted harshly, pointing a finger at him, to keep him in his place. The other man, who had been sleeping, was fully awake and assessing the situation quickly, while rising to stand and soon the finger was pointing at him. "Gag her, and make sure it's tight!"

It took the man a few moments to find something to carry out his task, but once he had picked up a stray coil of rope, he swiftly approached Blair. She was still reeling in agony, but when his fingers dug into her cheeks, it didn't keep her from attempting to rip her tear-streaked face away and locking her jaw.

"You little bitch…open your mouth!" He squeezed against her stiffly set jaw, letting his fingernails cut into her skin, until finally her mouth popped open with an audible sound.

He slipped the rope between Blair's teeth, and pulled it so tightly around her head that she gagged from her tongue being pushed to the back of her throat. He wrapped two more loops of rope between her teeth and around her face, before pushing his hand against the back of her head, cinching it impossibly further.

Blair retched against the scratchy rope in her mouth, her chest convulsing painfully. Bringing her head up to rest on the tree trunk, she concentrated on calming herself down enough to breathe past her tongue. She closed her eye and focused solely on inhaling and exhaling through her nose, trying to forget the heaviness of the blood clinging to her eyelashes and her overwhelming pain.

*****

Many hours after the men had retired for the night, the youngest soldier quietly emerged from inside his canvas tent, holding numerous objects in his arms. After making sure there was no risk of getting caught, he made his way to the young woman, who was blacked out against the tree.

He kneeled in front of her and used the lingering flames of the nearby fire to look over her bound and battered face, debating the best way to approach the situation. Experimentally, he laid his hand on her upper arm and gently smoothed his hand down her jacket sleeve. He didn't want to startle her, but he had to give her a slight shake when her deeply unconscious state proved to be too much.

The movement seemed to stir something in her hazy mind, and gradually her usable eye slid open. But upon seeing a figure before her and considering her earlier experience, she immediately began shaking her head, and a small whimper slipped past the ropes gagging her mouth.

"Shh…I'm not going to hurt you." He whispered, showing her that he had nothing in his hands, already having set the items on the ground. "I'm going to untie you, alright?"

Blair did not make any motions to agree or disagree; she just stared up at him drowsily and then waited patiently while he fumbled with the knot behind her head. When it released, he eased the lengths of rope from between her teeth, but her mouth still hung open, the corners of her lips chaffed raw from the friction.

The man turned to the side for a moment to pick up the jug of water he had brought with him, and then held it so Blair could see what he was doing as he unscrewed the top. When he reached his hand up to help her tip her head back, Blair flinched in response and her eye shut tightly.

"No, it's alright, I just want to help you." The gentleness of his voice made Blair's eyelid flutter open again, but she watched him carefully as his hand made its way to the back of her neck.

Having something support her head other than the hard bark of the maple tree behind her, felt oddly comforting and Blair willingly let her head fall back against his hand. He tilted the container of water up to her lips and let the cool liquid run into her mouth, until it dribbled down her chin. Setting the jug back on the ground, he pulled a white handkerchief from his shirt pocket, and very lightly blotted the excess water from Blair's skin.

He laid the handkerchief over Blair's leg, and then proceeded to lower his gaze to hers. "I'm going to untie your hands now."

Blair nodded slightly, trying to remember if she even had hands, considering that each time she had woken they were too numb for her to feel because the weight of her body had them pinned between the tree. But as the soldier unwound the rope from her wrists and the blood flow restarted in her hands, the pain that followed quickly reminded her.

Slowly removing her arms from behind her back, he winced when she moaned in discomfort, and tried to pull her limp hands out of their position cradled within his own. "Shh, I know it hurts…"

Tears coursed down her cheeks, as he tenderly massaged the feeling back into her cold fingers and smoothed his palms over the backs of her hands. He did this for a few minutes, until Blair's digits twitched against his.

The next thing he had to do would cause her the most pain, but it was the most important. He placed her hands in her lap, after picking up the kerchief again and wetting it down.

"This will hurt, but the cuts on your face…I need to clean them out."

Blair released a breath, and then closed her eye, trusting the man in front of her as he placed one hand against her cheek and had the other holding the damp rag poised over her eyebrow. The initial dab of material against the wounds had Blair hissing in pain, but the soldier whispered nonsense words of comfort and encouragement, as he continued to run water through the gashes.

He cleaned only the immediate area of the injuries, to make sure that it wasn't very noticeable that he had helped the young woman. Once he was finished, he smeared an unseen substance over the area, and Blair could feel the sting beginning to lessen.

Moving back, he waited for Blair to open her eye again, and then regarded her with a sympathetic expression. "What is your name?"

Blair's stared tiredly into his face, before answering in a hoarse, unsteady voice. "Bl-Blair…"

The young soldier only nodded in response, before picking up her hands again and stroking her sore skin.

*****

When the early streaks of morning sunlight were beginning to stream through the forest, the blonde haired leader exited his tent to find his young charge hoisting a blanket wrapped body into his arms.

"What are you doing?"

"She's dead…"


	10. Struggle

**Just wanted to say thank you for all the reviews, alerts, and favorites, they are very much appreciated!!!**

Chapter 10 – Struggle

As soon as he had walked a considerable distance away from the camp, the soldier dropped the shovel he had been carrying; it was only needed to make it seem as if the woman he had over his shoulder really was dead. He adjusted her body so that she was lying across his arms now, before continuing to an unknown destination.

He had no idea what he was going to do with the poor girl, but wherever he decided to leave her, it was going to be better than slowly dying in a Yankee camp. Her condition was not good, when he had put the blanket around her body, and lightly draped the material over her face, her skin had felt hot and feverish. But he knew that leaving her somewhere with medicine and bandages for someone else to find, was better than the guaranteed death she faced if he had not. Unbeknownst to him, a certain someone was about to find not only her, but him as well.

"Don't move…" Chuck said lowly as he suddenly stepped out from behind a thicket of trees, with his pistol drawn. The soldier fumbled back a few steps in startled surprise, nearly losing his grip on Blair's body. "Put her down."

Chuck had been trailing the man for a short distance, easily recognizing Blair's form, if not by size, then by the chocolate colored curls spilling from beneath the blanket over her head. He kept his gun trained on the man's face, waiting until Blair was safely laid on the ground, before calmly approaching the man and catching him completely off guard by slamming the handle of the pistol into the side of his face.

His body went down hard, and Chuck followed close behind, tossing the pistol to the side and opting to wrestle the unarmed man onto his back. The fury coursing through Chuck's mind easily allowed him to bring his forearm across the man's neck, before his opponent could even properly react.

Chuck leaned heavily onto his arm, holding all of his weight against the man's throat, and watching intently as the veins in his neck and forehead bulged out from the force. He wanted nothing more than to see the body beneath him become slack with death, but just as he was about to press harder, a faint noise distracted him.

Chuck's head snapped to the side in time to see Blair's foot twitch slightly under her covering, and it was a break in focus which let the other man roughly shove him away. The soldier leapt to his feet and grabbed the gun, before Chuck had a chance to regain his balance.

"Wait!" He shouted, pointing the pistol at Chuck, increasing his anger immeasurably.

The soldier could tell that the dark haired man in front of him was about to charge him again, not even caring that he could just as easily kill him. But he had to make him realize that he wasn't his enemy in this fight.

"Stop…" He announced again, and this time Chuck listened to his words when he motioned to Blair. "I'm not trying to hurt her, she needs help…are you – do you know her?"

"Yes…" Chuck ground out from between his teeth, his fingers clenching into a fist at his side.

"Tell me her name, then." The soldier told him slowly, still on the defense.

At first Chuck was stunned by his audacity, but then he recognized the concern the Yankee's voice held for Blair, and some of the harshness faded from his features. "Her name is Blair…Blair Waldorf."

He nodded in approval, but before he could speak again Chuck was cutting him off. "I knew she was hurt, but how badly?"

"We found her in a ditch…" The man began to explain, and Chuck impatiently gestured his understanding. "She has a wound on her face. I cleaned it somewhat, but it is already infected and she is developing a fever."

Nausea settled into Chuck's stomach, the nature of the comment making him feel sick. He hadn't even seen Blair's face yet, but if she was injured that badly and was already feverish, it had to be serious.

"You have to take her somewhere safe and let her rest…you have to keep her fever down." The soldier explained, glancing at the unconscious body lying only a few feet away.

Chuck's instincts took over and he nodded hastily. Then he knelt down beside Blair, hesitantly scooping her body up into his embrace, afraid of causing her any pain. His face showed a touch of desperation, but mostly a sense of relief flooded his body at feeling Blair's head roll against his shoulder.

"Here…" The Yankee soldier said, gently setting the pistol on the fabric over Blair's stomach so Chuck could keep a hold of her. "Travel west, there won't be any more troops nearby."

"Wait." Chuck stopped him from walking away, and then studied him for a few seconds, specifically noting the letters US stitched into his coat. He was still taken aback by the whole situation. "Thank you…"

A moment of understanding passed between the two, before the Yankee gave Chuck a slight nod, and each of them turned away from one another, heading in opposite directions.

*****

Chuck continued trekking across the land, until the muscles in his back and shoulders burned from the effort of supporting Blair for so long. He had adjusted her body miles ago to distribute her weight differently, and her covered forehead now rested against the side of his neck. With every misstep or sudden movement, guilt would twinge in his mind as he heard sighs and light groans.

When he felt that they had reached a fairly secluded area of forest, Chuck carefully laid Blair in the shade, making sure to keep the blanket over her face. As horrible as he felt for not doing so, he still could not bring himself to lift the flap of fabric.

Instead, he busied himself with sorting through the items he had flung into the large bag, beside the river. He had been so consumed by thoughts of Blair, that he could hardly remember what things he had chosen to leave behind. The small tent with its stakes and ropes was rumpled inside the bag, and Chuck faintly remembered thinking it would be of importance. But he could only hope that his other choices would be just as helpful.

Chuck spilled the contents on the ground, growling in frustration when he realized he had brought nothing more than wool blankets, an undershirt, water, and the supplies for his guns. Kicking the ground, he cursed his stupidity under his breath for not bringing any food or the roll of bandaging; that he knew had been stuffed into one of the other saddlebags.

He gazed at the ground for a moment while thinking, before turning to look at Blair, still lying there motionless and unaware. Seeing her so defenseless made Chuck rethink his irritation and he decided that he needed to care for her, instead of getting angry over something that could no longer be helped. Gathering the stakes and ropes in his hands, he made quick work of setting up the tent, and then spread the blankets out inside.

Once he had Blair down on the makeshift bed, he sat down beside her, mentally preparing himself. A sudden vision of the wounds he had seen in the last battle he had fought flashed through his mind, but he rapidly closed his eyes against the memory…this was different.

Chuck reached out his hand and grasped the corner of the blanket in his fingertips, took a deep breath, and then removed it from Blair's head. What he saw before him made his eyebrows come together and his jaw clench in a pained grimace.

Blair's eye was completely swollen shut by the purple bruising that reached above her eyebrow and to the top of her cheek. The gashes running diagonally across her brow bone and extending down to the delicate flesh of her eyelid gaped open and were beginning to weep yellowish-white pus. The entire left side of her face was coated in a layer of dried blood, which matted her hair and continued down to her neck and chest. It was no longer a mirror image of the right side, which apart from being smeared with dust and blood looked completely untouched, nearly peaceful, when compared to the other.

Chuck knew what he had to do, but now he was afraid to even touch Blair. Eventually he tore his eyes from her broken face and moved into a kneeling position, unwrapping the remainder of the blanket. Her clothing was stained in various places, but Chuck was curiously focusing on the leather sack resting on Blair's chest that had also been revealed.

Picking it up, Chuck shook it out and to his surprise found bandages, matches, a brown glass jar, and even hardtack, falling into his hand. Whoever the Yankee soldier was, Chuck would forever appreciate and marvel at what he of all people, had done for Blair.

The findings made Chuck feel a little better and after setting them aside, he lightly brushed his fingers over Blair's forehead, more as a soothing gesture for himself rather than her. Then he began unbuttoning her jacket, so he could start cleaning her up.

Removing the clothing proved to be a difficult task and Chuck had to stop repeatedly to prop Blair against his chest, while he wrestled her arms from the jacket and undershirt sleeves. She kept moaning in pain at being jostled around so much and Chuck was more than thankful when he was able to lay her back down on the blankets. Although once the clothes were removed, it was difficult for him to ignore the random smattering of bruises on her bare skin, making his temper flair.

The extra undershirt Chuck had absently packed was torn into pieces by his side and he wetted them down, before using them to wash away the blood. Chuck studied Blair's expression as he worked, noting the way her eyebrows and lips twitched slightly in response to his touches.

After he had cleaned her up as best as he could, he found another dampened piece of the shirt and very carefully began dabbing the pus and old blood from the cuts. Blair flinched in her heavy sleep, and let out another small moan, but unlike the other times she had been hurting, Chuck was there to calm her down.

"Blair, shh…" He whispered, and placed his free hand on Blair's cheek, stroking her soft, yet heated flesh. Whether she could hear him or not, Chuck wanted to believe that the crease between her brows relaxed because somewhere she was distantly recognizing that he was there for her.

Droplets of water slipped into Blair's hairline as Chuck wrung the cloth out over the wound, repeating the action until most of the debris was washed away. The severed skin was not as intimidating once it had been cleaned, but it was still obvious that it would cause lingering scars.

As he gently blotted the excess moisture from Blair's face, Chuck examined the glass jar in his other hand, turning it around in search of its identification. There wasn't one to be found, but he had enough experiences to know that it had to be a treatment for wounds. After unscrewing the top, he dipped his index finger into the mixture, and then spread a layer over the injured area.

The bandaging was the next thing to be wrapped into place, and as Chuck coiled the material around Blair's face, over her eye and forehead, he nearly laughed just thinking about how absolutely disgusted she would be with her current attire.

Chuck knew that Blair was still in danger of fever and infection, but he couldn't help feeling relieved as he looked down at her. She seemed relaxed now, breathing evenly and contently. Chuck closed his eyes and let out a breath that he felt he had been holding since that night in the river, before shrugging his jacket and shirt off his shoulders, and then lying down.

Blair's skin felt warm as Chuck turned to his side and pulled her back against his chest, but he brought one of the blankets over their bodies anyway. He reveled in the sensation of her stomach rising and falling slowly against his arm, which was draped over her slim waist, and soon the exhaustions of the past days combined with holding Blair close, were lulling Chuck to sleep.

*****

Chuck had slept the rest of the day and on through the night hours, and would have stayed at rest if it were not for the uncomfortably hot temperature nagging him to waking. Without opening his eyes, he swiped at the blanket covering his torso, trying to push it away, but when his fingertips brushed over the rounded hip pressed closely to his, he suddenly recognized the source of the disruption.

As he sat up, Chuck ran his hand down the length of Blair's side, quickly assessing the heated dampness clinging to her skin. She was completely oblivious to the situation, but Chuck knew that it was crucial to keep her hydrated in order to overcome the complications of infection.

"Blair…Blair, you need to wake up…" Chuck whispered to her, as he snaked his arm beneath her shoulders to bring her upright. Her visible eyelid twitched from the movement, but it took Chuck's gentle fingers stroking the side of her sweaty face to coax it open.

Blair squinted from the light assaulting her senses, and lazily let her eye close again, too dazed to realize or care that Chuck was staring down at her and had woken her for an important reason.

"No, open your eyes…come on." He persisted in trying to wake her, making Blair toss her head to the side. "You need water…"

When Blair finally opened her one uncovered eye and kept it open, Chuck could tell by the hollowness in her gaze that she was barely holding to consciousness. Although it seemed like a small portion of her fiery temper was showing through from having been roused, despite her incomplete coherence.

"Blair?" Chuck spoke her name again, and watched sadly as she looked at him with her drowsy stare, not fully recognizing what was happening. He worked quickly to uncap the water, before cupping the side of her face in his palm, aiding her in opening her mouth.

She swallowed the water without much difficulty at first, but when her eye drifted shut again and she lost concentration, Chuck pulled the jug away when she began to choke on the liquid. The container was set down, and easily forgotten, as he gathered Blair against his body and ran his hand down her smooth back until her coughing subsided.

After holding her for a moment, he guided Blair to rest on the blankets once more, letting her sleep and ending her struggle against something she wasn't yet strong enough to fight.

**Thanks for reading, hope you liked it! :) **


	11. Missing You

**Sorry for the wait between chapters, the next should come out a lot faster! Thanks for reading!**

Chapter 11 – Missing You

Something was wetly dribbling down the side of Blair's neck, and even though she was just beginning to wake, the feeling made her stomach churn with a sick familiarity. She felt rough fingers brush the underside of her chin and trail along her jaw, following the liquid sensation on her skin.

The last vivid memory in her mind was of being struck across the face, being left alone – bleeding heavily – and from what she could feel; she hadn't made it far from the situation. She wanted to keep her eyes shut against the abuse that would began again once she opened them, but as someone else's fingertips moved further down her chest, a small gasp slipped from her mouth. Blair felt the hand pull away as she blinked rapidly, clearing the haziness of sleep from the only eye that would obey her actions.

"Blair?"

The sudden, although soft utterance of her name, startled her as she tried to discern where she was. The lighting was dim, and as her senses began to refocus she could feel that she was lying down on cushioning blankets.

Turning her head was painful, but it helped Blair in finding the source of the deep, smooth voice that had whispered to her. The individual's features were blurred as a result of having one eye bandaged and just waking, but from what she could make out, the lines of his face seemed recognizable. But she wasn't going to let her mind trick her into believing something that she knew was impossible.

"Blair?" The voice surrounded her once more, and then she was sure that she hadn't mistaken the familiarity.

"Chuck…" She could barely push the words out of her throat after having lied asleep so long, and crying until her voice was hoarse during the preceding days. Blair heard a sharp exhalation of breath, and then suddenly she was being wrapped in a close embrace, a warm cheek pressed against her own.

"Yes, it's Chuck. I'm right here."

The statement sluggishly registered in her mind, and as she gazed blankly over Chuck's shoulder, Blair had to wonder if she was hallucinating the entire situation. It seemed real enough. Chuck's fingers were entwining with her long hair, just as they had done in times before. His bare skin held the masculine scent of tanned leather and gun powder just the way she remembered. But her memories of being alone on the bank churned around in her head, much like the way the choppy rapids of the river had done the last time she had seen Chuck.

As Chuck pulled back from hugging Blair, he very lightly brushed the pads of his fingers over the uninjured side of her face. "I thought you would never wake." He was now lying on his side, head cradled in his palm, as he watched Blair coming from the depths of unconsciousness.

Blair had no response; her thoughts were too addled over how she had ended up here, because with that handsome visage hovering close to her own, it was now clearly visible that it belonged to Chuck. He was smiling at her and talking lightly, but as the shock of waking up to the image of Chuck's face wore off, something else began to push at her, and it was too much to ignore.

"My face…" Blair breathed out, the syllables hardly audible through her obvious pain. Her hands and arms were stiff at her sides, but she still tried to fumble against the blankets, attempting to touch her fingers to her damaged features.

Chuck grasped her hand within his, stopping her, and interrupting its intended direction towards her face. "No, don't touch it."

"It hurts…" Blair's voice croaked, and she clumsily tried to maneuver her fingers out of Chuck's hand. But it didn't take much for him to outsmart her movements, and he gently pressed her hand back to the surface of the wool blankets.

"I know it hurts, Blair, but you cannot touch your face…it's just beginning to heal." Chuck explained to her. Even though he could tell that Blair was only focused on how she could make the discomfort go away.

Trying to give her a distraction, Chuck patted the wet rag in his hand along the column of her neck. It seemed to help relax her because her eye slipped shut, but only for a few short seconds before her lost and bewildered gaze looked up at him. As her lips pursed before she began to speak again, it was evident that even the most minor of movements was causing her to hurt.

"How did you..." Blair started to ask her question, but stopped mid-sentence to take a breath and recollect her thoughts. "How did you find me?"

For a fraction of time Chuck seemed confused, but then his expression turned sympathetic as he realized that the brunette probably could not recall most of what had happened. He hesitantly contemplated a way to tell her as she patiently awaited his answer, but then he decided it would be better to see what she could remember on her own.

"You don't remember?" Chuck wondered aloud, hoping that it would prompt Blair into being more coherent and of course, he couldn't deny his curious concern for what had occurred while they were apart. But in a way, a small part of his mind wished that she wouldn't remember anything at all, in fear of what might have happened to her.

A flicker of darkness passed through Blair's gaze and Chuck's stomach turned over with nervousness, he could tell some sort of memories were being conjured up.

"I couldn't find you…"

Chuck hadn't betted on that being the first sentence Blair would utter and even though she hadn't meant for it to do so, it magnified his guilty conscience tremendously. His hand stilled above her neck, where he had been continuing to dampen her hot skin, and he stared down at her, at a complete loss for words.

"Blair…I'm so sorry for what happened…I never thought –"

"I just kept trying to find you, but I couldn't. I just couldn't …and there was so much blood, and then..." Blair paused, and the mistiness gathering in the corner of her eye combined with her solemn words and expression of remembered fear gradually began to kill Chuck. "And then I can't remember what happened."

The brunette before him seemed lost as she looked up to him for answers, but he just couldn't believe that she had no recollection at all of the other events. "You don't remember anything?"

"No…" She acted almost as if she felt guilty for not remembering, as if for some reason Chuck was expecting her to recall something that had happened, but she could not.

"A soldier was taking care of you and I came across him in the forest, and then I brought you here." Chuck explained, wondering if the bit of information would stir her memory. "He said he cared for your wound and –"

"No…no, that's not what happened!" Blair announced quite fiercely. Suddenly, she was fighting to sit up and her features were marred with panic, as certain memories came flooding back. Then her face began contorting in pain from her movements, while Chuck's arms came around her shoulders trying to guide her back down.

"Stop… what's wrong!?" Chuck struggled against a hyperventilating Blair, finally getting her to lie back down and placing his hands on her cheeks. "Talk to me, Blair."

"They wanted to kill me…" She finally sobbed, and still Chuck was clueless as to what she was trying to tell him. Maybe she was still feverish and she wasn't even aware of her own hysterical ramblings, but her next statement sent the man beside her into such a rage that he could only consider it true. "They tied me up…and he, he hit me…"

If Blair's eye hadn't been shut and spilling tears, she might have noticed the maniacal sneer that came over Chuck's features as soon as the words had clumsily tumbled from her mouth. His teeth clenched together so tightly that his jaw ached, and in his mind he replayed the vivid scenarios in which he should have killed that Yankee before letting him get away. In all of his life he had never felt such fury, and he was by no means a character of peaceful demeanor. The only reason he wasn't tearing through the forest hunting the man's blood was because of Blair.

"Who, Blair, who hurt you!?" Chuck frantically demanded, as he continued to hold her face in his hands.

"The Yankees…" Blair whispered, slipping her hand up to wrap her small fingers around his tense arm.

To feel Blair reaching out for him lessened some of the intensity of his anger and he lied down beside her, before gathering her against his chest, allowing her to break down while he held her safe. He murmured nonsense words of comfort to her, hoping she would settle down before exhausting herself so soon after waking. Though he could hardly do the same for himself, he had to will the image of the Yankee soldier's deceitfully concerned face from his mind lest he do something drastic.

Once Blair's crying had died back to near silence save her shallow breathing, Chuck moved to lay her on her back, thinking she had fallen asleep.

"Ow…" The muffled groan startled Chuck and he immediately went still, not wanting to cause any further damage.

"I thought you had fallen asleep." He said quietly, moving his hand upward to carefully brush the unruly strands of hair that were lying across Blair's forehead. Her uncovered eye was closed, but it was obvious that she had heard him as she turned her head to the side at a very slow pace, in disagreement. By her steady motions, Chuck knew exactly why she hadn't fallen back into slumber.

"Does it hurt very badly?"

Now she was nodding in affirmation, pressing her lips together and concentrating on keeping her movement smooth to avoid any more pain. Chuck leaned down to kiss her cheek, as much as wished he could do something for her, all they could do now was wait for her injury to heal itself.

"I'm sorry…" Chuck whispered against her skin, and then she brought her hand to his shoulder, urging him back to look in his eyes.

"Please, Chuck…this is not your fault." Blair insisted, giving him a strained smile.

Chuck tried to smile back, but her words were just wrong in his mind. "Don't be ridicu –"

Blair slid her hand behind his neck and pulled his face to hers, not letting him finish the sentence. As their lips touched, Chuck was delicate in his advances, making sure only their noses brushed while they shared a soft kiss. When he pulled away a few moments later, Chuck leaned his face against his hand, now grinning widely.

"Now, you stop being ridiculous." Her tone was authoritative and Chuck didn't dare object. Even while bruised and bandaged, Blair still had Chuck easily wrapped around her finger.

"Anything for you..." Chuck laughed, wanting to sound as if he was joking, when they both knew that he had meant what he said. Blair's reddish lips turned up in a smirk and she let her eye close, before adjusting her head against the wool blankets, wincing as she did.

Chuck gently smoothed his fingertips down her neck in a soothing gesture. "Wouldn't you like to be drunk right now?"

The brunette's forehead wrinkled in puzzlement and disgust, and her gaze shifted to her side to look up at Chuck. "I've never been drunk, you cad."

Chuck released a small chuckle. "I thought as much, but imagine if we did have whiskey, or even brandy. You could drink until you couldn't see straight, you wouldn't feel a thing…well, until tomorrow."

Blair giggled at his ranting, and it pleased her to know that he was doing it to make her feel better. Listening to him tease, as he toyed with her hair did help her to somewhat forget the ache in her head.

"You're still being ridiculous. I thought I told you to stop that?"

"If you insist." Chuck huffed in mock exasperation, and then rested his head next to Blair's smiling face, leaving the tent in solitude so they could both eventually drift off to sleep.

*****

When Blair woke again, the sunlight was filtering through the leafy forest, already high above the trees outside. The turbid heat permeating the small shelter from the midday temperature was becoming intense, and she pushed the heavy blankets down their bodies.

The gorgeous man beside her was still laying asleep, one of his arms drawn behind his head. She ran her hand down the expanse of his bare stomach and chest, moving upward to cup his jaw. Chuck's lips twitched from the touch and he turned his head, unconsciously leaning further into Blair's hand.

"Chuck…"

Her quiet whisper went unnoticed, so she stretched her body closer to his, pressing feather light kisses to his mouth and chin. Chuck made a low noise in his throat upon waking, and then lifted his head, surprised to see an especially chipper Blair inches from his face.

"I hadn't expected you to be this lively, this morning." Chuck drawled, pushing his fingers through his own short hair, before reaching out to sink them into Blair's mussed ringlets. "How are you feeling?"

The brunette shrugged her shoulders, she felt immeasurably better, but the dull pain was nowhere near ceasing. "It feels like the worst of headaches, like a throbbing ache."

Chuck had pushed himself into a sitting position as she spoke, wrapping his arm around her back and bringing her along with him. "The bandage should be changed again…hold still."

Blair did as she was told and angled her head up, while one of Chuck's hands held her face and he used the other to cautiously remove the cloth covering her injured eye. The routine was painless until the last layer of cloth had to be carefully peeled away from Blair's skin, where it had become tacky with blood and moisture.

"Ahh…" Blair gasped softly, grabbing Chuck's thigh as the bandage finally came loose.

"There…all finished." Chuck stated and then tucked Blair's hair behind her ear, making sure it didn't fall against the wound as he studied it. Experimentally, Blair attempted to open her swollen eye, but it was no use for the sensitive flesh was far too contused and puffy.

"Is it awful?" Blair asked dejectedly, after a few moments had passed in silence and Chuck continued to inspect her face with serious concentration.

He almost laughed aloud at her vain question, but she sounded so sad that he thought better of it, and of course she really had no idea of what exactly had happened anyway.

"No, it's not awful. There are only two deep cuts on your brow and a lot of bruising, but I would imagine it had felt awful when it happened."

"It did…" Blair sighed. Despite her confession, she still gave Chuck a dazzling smile, something he had genuinely grown to love over their short time together and had longed for during the past days. Suddenly, he was realizing just how much he had missed his hot-tempered little companion and gripped her hips, pulling her to sit astride his lap.

"I missed you... I thought I had lost you." Chuck breathed into her long hair, his warm lips tickling her skin before he placed a kiss against her neck.

Blair felt her stomach turn over in a good way while Chuck held her tightly, his arms completely wrapped around her waist, pulling his bare muscled chest against hers. His words sounded raw and honest as his deep voice rasped into her ear, and Blair couldn't help but admit just how she had felt as well.

"I missed you too, Chuck." Blair whispered, and then carefully set her face on his shoulder, taking the time to appreciate being with him once again.


	12. You're A Pistol

Chapter 12 – You're A Pistol

"If you're tired we can stop." Chuck insisted for what seemed like the thousandth time that afternoon. It had been a week since they continued trudging across the Alabama countryside once more and Blair felt perfectly normal, aside from the leftover bruising and cuts near her eye. But that did not keep Chuck from being overly concerned about her.

"If you ask me that _just_ one more time, Chuck, I will…" Blair threatened, tightly squeezing her fingers around his hand while giving it a yank.

He only laughed at her and swung their violently clenched hands back and forth between their bodies, walking onward without a care. "What will you do?"

"I might slap you!" Blair spat teasingly, stepping in front of his body and raising her other arm, which Chuck promptly caught at the wrist. Their bodies quickly collided, and a strong arm held them together.

"You wouldn't…"

His smirk was infectious and the shorter brunette eventually melted into his touch, smiling playfully up at him. Blair's rich curls tumbled down her back as Chuck pulled her closer, causing her head to instinctively fall back for his kiss, just the way he liked.

"Now, don't you want to stop and_ rest_?" Chuck whispered against her ear, after kissing across her jaw. The hand on her back was sliding dangerously low, and then she did recoil and slap the offending limb away.

"I am tired of walking." Blair stated matter-of-factly, annoyance in her voice.

"Well then…" His voice was smooth, trying to draw her in. "Come and sit with me."

Chuck was sitting down on the grassy ground beneath the shade of the nearest tree in moments, while simultaneously dragging Blair astride his lap. He had worked hard to behave himself over the past week, trying to keep in mind that she did not need to exert herself for his lust. But he could no longer ignore the fact that it had been countless days since he had last had her, especially when she was looking so deliciously alluring.

They had both been particularly frustrated with the sticky heat that morning, but even though it was uncomfortable, on this day, Chuck could not help but be thankful for the South's unbearable temperatures.

Earlier, Blair had stolen a length of the leather drawstring from his bag, which hadn't pleased him at all until he witnessed her next action. After twisting all of her luxurious hair into one hand, she gracefully raised both hands above her head and then tied it into place with the strap, letting the loose pieces frame her face. Chuck had admired the cleverness, but not as much as he adored the flawless skin at the nape of her neck being exposed to – what he imagined would be – his lips and teeth.

That alone had made him sweat even more, but as the day wore on she continued making little adjustments to her clothing that Chuck was quite sure were meant to drive him insane. First, the sleeves of the shirt she was wearing were rolled up, and then a few buttons escaped from their holes, and then a few more, until finally the diving neckline was so low that she hardly had to bend forward and Chuck was getting more than an eyeful.

"What are you staring at?" Blair asked. Her tone was light, as was the little smirk turning the corners of her lips.

Chuck's gaze slowly drifted from the skin revealed between her parted shirt to her expectant brown eyes. He had been caught, but he didn't mind. "I'm staring at you…"

"So I've noticed, but maybe you should stop staring at me and start kissing me. I mean, if you insist on sitting here we might as wel –"

Chuck did not need to hear anymore; as soon as the first sentence had left her mouth he was ready to attack the flesh that had been taunting him throughout the day. His tongue savored her neck, tasting the salty sweetness of the light sweat that had glistened from it earlier. Blair gasped from the sudden onslaught of sensation, not expecting him to be so eager with his affections.

The petite brunette clung to Chuck's shoulders, while his own fingers splayed over the small of her back, as well as her lower stomach. But the hand at her belly did not keep its place for long though; it was impatiently working its way upward. His fingertips felt every dip of Blair's ribs until finally he took the weight of her breast into his palm.

The sharp moan and downward push of hips that followed would have normally heightened Chuck's fervor, but instead his hand swiftly pulled away.

"What are you doing!?" Blair's voice was breathless, and it was obvious by her manner of expression that she wanted it just as badly as he did.

"This isn't the time or the place…" Chuck spoke just as breathlessly, trying to gather himself and place his hands anywhere but on Blair's body. Although, if he truly wanted to compose himself he would have had to escape from between her thighs, which were still firmly pressed against the definite evidence of his arousal.

Blair made a whiny pouting noise in the back of her throat, before dramatically letting her forehead fall to the side of Chuck's neck. He took a chance tenderly stroking her back and she accepted the touch, even though she wanted much more.

She could not understand why Chuck had been so ridiculously gentle with her since they had reunited. Ever since she had first given herself to him that night, she wanted more and more, because cravings had started that only he could satisfy. Initially, his caution had been reasonable, but now, even after her attempts to subtlety entice him, he still would not break.

Deciding to make it easier for the both of them, Blair untangled her arms from Chuck's to remove herself from his body. They both needed time to breath, even though Blair didn't really _want_ to breath, she wanted to feel.

"I'm sorry, Blair, I just don't think –" Chuck began to explain his sudden shift in moods, but Blair interrupted, already understanding why he had stopped.

"I understand." She stated simply, while pushing her hair back with her fingers, nearly wanting to rip it out over her frustration. The tree bark behind her head felt rough, but it gave her a place to rest against as she fought off the urge to launch herself at the man beside her once more. He could definitely stir her emotions.

A few minutes passed and then a ratcheting click caught Blair's attention, causing her to give Chuck a sidelong glance. He was tampering with his pistol, absentmindedly pulling the hammer back and then letting it snap back into place. It wasn't until she started watching him that she realized that her own boredom was increasing.

"I'm so bored, Chuck. Why do we have to sit here?" Blair complained, huffing and pouting her lips, while sneakily trying to make sure Chuck was going to look at her.

"Because you were very sick and you shouldn't be tiring yourself out so soon." His answer was dry, and most people would have recognized the finality in his tone, but this was Blair he was dealing with.

"But that was nearly a week ago! I feel fine and look, my eye is hardly swollen anymore!"

Chuck quickly swiveled his head and snatched Blair's fingertips away from her face, where they had been indelicately pulling at her eyelid.

"I told you not to do that…" Chuck spoke with exasperation, as he carefully smoothed the pads of his fingers over her brow. "It hasn't healed properly yet and it never will if you keep that up."

"Fine…"

Blair dropped her hands into her lap in a dismal movement, making Chuck roll his eyes before caving to her efforts for his attention. Setting his gun to the side, he scooped up her hand and held it between his own, sighing as he tried to find away to keep her happy.

"So, what do you propose we do?" He was stroking her knuckles and suddenly forgot all about the question he had asked; her skin was so soft.

"Oh, I don't _know_!" Bair snapped and then tugged her hand away, only to have it rapidly snatched back again.

"Well, let's see…" Chuck began, continuing to hold her hand and smile at her quick temper. "You wouldn't want to keep walking because you don't like that anyway, but you don't like just sitting here either, so what is there to do?"

Chuck's eyes roamed over the area surrounding him until finally they settled on his pistol, and his lips curled into an amused smirk as an ingenious idea filled his mind.

"Blair, how would you like to learn to shoot?"

"What makes you think I can't?" The brunette was defiant sounding, replying to a question with a question.

The grin on Chuck's face grew wider, he knew she did not know how to shoot, but he went along with her game anyway. He had realized just days after meeting Blair that being a perfectionist was a major characteristic of hers and she liked to pretend she excelled at practically everything.

"Well, can you?" Chuck goaded; smug because he already knew the answer.

"No, of course not! You keep forgetting that I'm a lady, Chuck…and ladies don't just go around knowing how to shoot!" Blair's informative little rant almost caused a chuckle to rise from Chuck's throat, but he held it back, finding it much more entertaining to carry on his prodding.

"But surely you were going to shoot that Yankee, the day I saved you from your house."

Blair turned quickly towards him, her dark eyes flashing with disbelief and astonishment. "And don't you think I had good reason to!?"

Chuck shrugged his shoulders in agreement and raised his eyebrows a bit. "Well, yes, but just because you had good reason doesn't mean you'd actually have the sense to do it well."

"Ugh, Chuck! Let me alone!" Blair grumbled and angrily kicked her foot out, which had been tucked beneath her.

Before she could protest further, Chuck was already on his feet and pulling her to stand up next to him. "I can't, I'm going to teach you to shoot!"

"I don't want to learn…"

"Oh, come now, Blair, I'm only teasing." He always knew how to sweet talk his way back into her good graces, even if it took a bit of effort.

Blair let out a puff of air and rolled her eyes exaggeratedly. "You're always teasing."

"That's because you look so tempting when you are angry." Chuck whispered lowly, before turning to find a target.

The brunette narrowed her eyes, piercing a hole in his back as he moved away, and she murmured under her breath. "If that's what it takes, you just might see me angry today."

"Come on, Blair!" Chuck shouted back to her, while he walked through the grass and smattering of trees in the area. Occasionally, he would reach down to retrieve one of the larger pinecones that had fallen from their branches or a stray chunk of rock.

The area really was quite beautiful, with the gently sloping ground and the random limestone boulders breaking through its surface from years of weathering and exposure. But it wasn't as if either of the two were specifically paying attention to the scenery.

By the time Blair stepped beside Chuck, he was already brushing off a fairly level ledge of limestone and placing the objects he had found across it in a line. He was being irritatingly meticulous about spacing them apart and she couldn't help but wonder why he was so enthralled over this.

"May I ask what you are doing?" Blair quizzed, her curiosity edged with attitude.

"Making targets, now come back here with me…" Chuck started to explain his plan, taking her hand and guiding her a number of paces away. "Now, first, you can watch me and then you can try."

Blair crossed her arms over her chest and nodded her head in understanding. She was a little more interested now, because watching Chuck's brow crease in concentration as he carefully held the pistol to aim was oddly appealing. The lone shot rang out, causing her to jump slightly and Chuck to exclaim with cockiness.

"And that's how it's done!"

Blair pursed her lips, leave it to the man to think he had performed some sort of miraculous feat. "Give me that!"

"Careful! You want to shoot me in the foot!?" Chuck yelled, as Blair wrestled the gun from his hand.

"Maybe…" She was already mimicking his previous stance, raising the piece in the air and closing one eye, to test her vision.

"Wait, wait…" Chuck grasped her hips and dipped his head down beside hers. "There is some technique involved."

"Tell me what it is, then." Blair demanded, trying to ignore the fingertips pressing into her skin. At this rate, she wouldn't be able to concentrate on a thing.

"Alright, first, you look down the barrel and align the iron sights with the object you want to hit." Chuck gave directions and she nodded her head impatiently as if she already knew what to do. "And don't forget to close one of your eyes…"

His hand snuck up to the side of Blair's face, lightheartedly trying to block her view until she pushed it away, making them both laugh.

She concentrated again, getting back into position while purposefully waiting for Chuck to begin speaking to her again. "And now what?"

"Now, you just pull back the hammer and –"

The pistol went off before Chuck could even finish talking and Blair smirked triumphantly when she felt his body start against her, not expecting the sudden noise. Even though she had surprised him, he stayed quiet for a moment, examining the spot on the ledge which had previously been occupied by a crumbling piece of stone.

"You said you've never done this before?" Chuck finally questioned, the suspicion obvious in his tone.

"No, never." Blair answered honestly. Although she was still facing forward, she could just imagine the confused expression that Chuck wore.

"Hmm…a stroke of luck, try again." Chuck told her, and Blair nearly argued with his comment, before deciding that she would show him that she could do better than just luck.

Raising the single-action revolver, Blair cocked the hammer once more and then studied her next target, which was one of the pinecones that Chuck had picked up earlier. For some reason, her hand seemed less steady than it had been before, and she unwrapped her fingers to adjust her grip before firing again. But still the second bullet was as true as the first, shattering the pinecone into pieces.

Chuck stepped to Blair's side, but kept one hand at the small of her back and gave her a curious look. "How are you so good at this?"

"It's just not _that_ difficult of a concept." Blair snapped back.

She was correct. Chuck had already recognized just how easy of a concept it seemed to be for her, but he had also recognized just how tantalizing of a position it was for her. Just watching the line of her leg as she leaned back on it with his gun in her hand was enough to strain the fabric of his trousers. He needed to think of something else.

"Any Yankee brave enough to cross you is mad…do it again." Chuck commanded, and then backed up a few feet to watch her. Blair pulled the trigger again, and although the shot was not as precise as the first two, it still had the desired effect.

"Damn…" Chuck swore under his breath, and tried to unknowingly adjust his belt buckle before Blair turned to him with her elbow bent, pistol in the air.

"I need more bullets, Chuck."

"No, I don't think you do…let's look at the damage."

The two walked towards their makeshift target, Chuck somewhat uncomfortably and Blair somewhat dangerously, while she swung the gun back and forth as she stepped along. She was too excited about her accomplishments to care about being cautious.

"You do realize that I'll no longer need you for protection, now that I have such superior skills." Blair stated smugly, pulling Chuck from his own thoughts as she used her fingertips to brush off the ledge, clearing it of the debris left over from the objects she had shot down. When she turned to face him her lips were turned up in a smirk, revealing every bit of the she-devil they both knew she could be.

"Well, I find that unlikely, it's become quite a habit of yours to need frequent rescuing." Chuck spoke lowly, giving her a pointed look.

"I can't be held responsible for all the trouble I get into…" said Blair in an equally low voice, her lips grinning wickedly. The sultry quality of her husky, whispered words broke something inside Chuck and it took all of two strides for him to pin her to the limestone with his hips. He couldn't deny himself or her, any longer.

All of the breath in Blair's lungs left in a sharp exhalation as Chuck's heavy chest suddenly pushed against her breasts, but she still found enough air to form the rest of her sentence. "But I am lucky to have such a dashing rescuer."

Blair tipped her head back, looking up and finding Chuck's dark brown eye's trained on hers with fiery intensity. Before she could loop her arms around his neck to connect their lips, his hands were at the backs of her thighs abruptly lifting her onto the surface behind them.

"Does that mean you still need me?" Chuck demanded to know, gripping her upper thigh with one hand and her hip with the other, forcefully grinding the solid bulge in his pants against her center.

She could hardly speak. She could practically feel all of him through the material separating their bodies, and it made a tremor run up her spine. All Blair could think of was the handful of times she had felt Chuck even more intimately than this, and of how desperately she needed to feel that sensation again and again.

"Yes…" Blair said softly, but just loud enough for Chuck to rapidly process the information and follow with a rough, heated kiss.

Their tongues battled against one another almost immediately, not wanting to spare the time to work themselves into a frenzy, when that point had already been reached. Blair had taken the corner of Chuck's bottom lip between her teeth, not saving any gentleness for the tender flesh. But even though he enjoyed Blair's aggressiveness beyond measure, he jerked his face away and panted against her lips.

"I want you, Blair." Chuck practically growled, his voice so deep that Blair could feel it humming in his throat, where her fingers were now spread wide over the side of his neck. As if he needed to prove himself even further, he thrust his hips into her and pulled her hard against him.

"Mmm…" Blair could not keep the gasp back, as he was grinding himself into a certain sweet spot. She wanted to throw her head back and let Chuck have his way with her, but she wanted – no needed – to let him know that she was all his and that more than anything she wanted to be taken swiftly, to feel herself come apart beneath him. Finding his eyes once more, she breathed into his mouth. "Then take me, I'm yours."

An animalistic sound tore from Chuck's vocal cords, hearing Blair breathlessly tell him those words was like nothing he had ever felt before. The pants and boots adorning Blair's lower half did not remain a barrier for long, for he was ripping at them with wild motions as she held tightly to his shoulders.

Once he had peeled the pants from her legs, Chuck reluctantly took both of his hands off her body to work at his own trousers. The fabric was parted within seconds and his belt buckle engraved with the letters CSA scraped metallically on the rock as he pushed forward, holding fiercely to Blair's hips while taking his first thrust.

Blair's cries of approval were muffled under his forceful kisses, and her back arched involuntarily as Chuck began setting a fast pace for their bodies. With one arm holding around her waist, Chuck slid his hand beneath the already low neckline of her shirt, pulling it down to gain access to her soft skin. He sucked and licked at her nipples, puckering the flesh and reveling in the uneven breathing that resulted.

Fingernails stung Chuck's shoulder blades as Blair flexed her fingers into his muscles, scarring him like the claws of a wildcat. Every violent stroke forced a sudden moan from her mouth, the feeling was bordering on a delicious sort of pain and with the last shred of comprehension she had, Blair couldn't help but think of how amazing it felt to have him inside her once more.

Chuck held fast around her waist and continued to kiss her chest and neck. Then slammed his free hand onto the surface of the rock, anchoring himself to increase the power and pressure of his thrusting. He was bending Blair backwards, but when he felt her tightening and beginning to reach her peak, he brought her forward and grabbed her jaw.

Blair had the most arousing expression on her flushed features, and Chuck held her head in place to watch as her eyes rolled back in ecstasy and she fought to draw every panted breath. On his face, a look of extreme concentration furrowed his brow while he tried to commit every detail to memory and keep Blair's bliss mounting.

Pulling her forward, Chuck watched as her lips fell apart and her teeth clenched together. She let her forehead drop against his, and soon he was hearing words that would forever be seared in his mind.

"God, yes…don't stop, don't stop!" Blair cried as he hit a sensitive spot within her, and kept repeating the action. In seconds, nearly nineteen years of hardwired manners had been stripped away by Chuck's onslaught of pleasure. She couldn't even control the trembling in her thighs, but she wrapped them tighter around Chuck's waist, bringing him even deeper.

Chuck was sure he left bruises when Blair released that final moan, and he gripped her hips, keeping himself buried deep within her as her muscles clenched him. Coming seconds after her, he finally let his taut body relax and fall against her, rewrapping his arms around her back and breathing harshly into her neck.

Blair rubbed her hand over Chuck's back, soothing the strong muscles quivering beneath his skin. Her chin rested on his shoulder and she turned into his neck to place soft kisses there.

After a few moments passed in peaceful silence, Chuck leaned back but kept their bodies still very much connected. Pieces of dark hair had fallen over his forehead and Blair raised her shaky hands to run her fingertips through the damp strands, slicking them back. Her own hair was tossed and wild, and in combination with her flushed complexion and glazed eyes, it made for a magnificent sight.

"You look nothing like a lady…" Chuck whispered while gently touching her cheeks and brushing his lips along her collarbone, where her skin was still dewy from sweat and his previous kisses. "_But_…you do look like a very satisfied woman."

"Hmm, yes…" Blair smiled against his hair, she couldn't deny the fact because it was most certainly true; she was completely sated.

Chuck lightly traced the curve of her bottom lip with the pad of his thumb, after lifting his head to peer into her brown eyes. He returned her soft smile with one of his own, he was genuinely content. He could spend hours passing the time with her in this position and he was hoping there would be many more times to come.

"I don't know what I would have done if you had…I mean, if you weren't here with me." Chuck said, almost sounding _shy_, of all things. His eyes dipped downward, but Blair caught his face.

"Really?" Blair asked. She believed him, but she just wanted to see the nervous look on his face reappear.

"Yes…is that alright?"

The uncertainty in Chuck's voice was endearing, but Blair quickly pressed her cheek to his, wanting him to know that it was definitely alright.

"Of course…" Blair reassured him with a smile, hugging his body close and then moving to meet his eyes once again. "I'm glad you feel that way, because I do too."

She could have sworn she heard a sigh of relief escape Chuck's lips. But for the time being, Blair would concentrate on the way he was slowly pushing himself deeper and beginning to kiss down her chest again.

**So after all of the drama, I thought they deserved to have some fun, especially Blair, haha! Thanks for reading!**


	13. Better Left Unsaid

**Hey! I know it's been a long time between updates and I'm sorry for that, but school has started again so it cuts down on writing time. :( I also wanted to thank everyone for reviewing, favorite-ing, and putting this story on alert! I appreciate all of it and with writing multiple stories it has gotten harder to respond to all reviews individually! But thank you none the less! **

**This chapter brings in a big twist, and C and B are both sort of battling their own demons for different reasons…you'll find out why! Thanks for reading!**

Chapter 13 – Better Left Unsaid

Long, boring days passed in which nothing very significant happened. They walked along in the muggy weather until they couldn't anymore, and collapsed in whatever shaded and soft grass they came across. But that was only until something significant did begin to happen.

After her first few bouts of dizziness, Blair and Chuck had both excused it as a side effect to the injury she had suffered some time before. But as it continued to worsen, instead of lessen with time, Blair began to fear that it was actually something much more serious. She hoped with everything she had that her worries were wrong, though she regrettably knew the odds were stacked against her and she felt it was entirely her fault.

As she lied awake with her head resting in the crook of Chuck's arm, Blair absently watched the leaves rustling in the early morning breeze. They were still shadowed in dark green, she noticed; the sun was still buried beneath the horizon. She felt physically ill and the more she allowed herself to think, the more overwhelming it became. She berated herself on the inside, how could she have let this happen?

Chuck was resting his hand on her naked stomach and she just could not bear to imagine what the gesture could imply, if he had even known, so she carefully grasped his large fingers to move it to his chest. But even in his sleep he instinctively reached for her again, spreading his fingers wide over her skin.

Now she really felt sick. Chuck was a heavy sleeper and as Blair jostled around searching for his shirt to shrug on, he still did not wake. It made her escape from his side all the more easier.

Bile was rising in her throat as she tromped through the surrounding trees, trying to make it a fair distance away so as not to let Chuck hear her vomiting and retching. Soon Blair was crouching to her knees and heaving the contents of her stomach onto the dewy forest floor.

The act made her eyes tear, although it would have been just as easy for her to succumb to emotions and let them spill on her own. She was not going to let that happen though, because if she did Chuck would find out. She had been blindsided, but no, Blair thought to herself as she swiped at the moisture in her eyes, she would not – could not – tell him.

*****

Blair had thought that her first pregnancy would be expected, that she would be married to an adoring husband that she had captured with her feminine wiles, who would be overjoyed about the news of a child. She could have never imagined that she would be holding the father's hand, a man she had only known a few weeks who had no idea of the fact, while she made an impromptu journey to New Orleans with him.

"You're quiet this afternoon…" Chuck suddenly broke the silence that Blair hadn't realized had been stretching on for so long.

"Oh, well, I guess I'm just feeling a bit tired is all."

It was not a lie. Blair was tired, it was something that had been happening a lot as of late, but her mind was also churning with many different thoughts and that had left her little time to banter with Chuck.

He squeezed her hand lightly. "Are you feeling ill again?"

"No!" Blair swiftly interjected, sounding suspiciously defensive. "I mean, I feel fine, but I'm just tired."

"Alright." Chuck stated slowly. He was wearing an expression that showed that he probably knew more than Blair was letting on, but he would not pester her. "You'll be sure to let me know if you need anything, won't you?"

The simple statement immediately caused Blair's throat to tighten with emotion. "Yes…" There were many things that she needed right now, but unfortunately, she was sure that Chuck could not give any of them to her. It was just touching to know that he was concerned.

One thing – no, one person – she desperately needed was her mother. Blair needed someone to confide in and the thought of having absolutely no one to do just that with, had her aching with an awful amount of stress. If her mother were there she would have wanted nothing more than to lay her head in her lap and cry out her fears, just as she used to do when she was only a young girl at Red Ridge. But back then her biggest crises had been whether to wear a blue gown or a red gown to the next dance, or how to best lure the county boys, or more importantly how to get rid of their clingy affections once she had tired of them.

Thinking about the normalcy of her past made her feel better, if only for a few moments until her present reality rushed back. Her mother was dead and it seemed that every good thing she had ever had was continually slipping away with her. She was not sure how many more aspects of her life could go wrong, but she was almost certain that this situation was the icing on an expensive, well-frosted cake.

Just imagining what people would say about her when she arrived in a new city – unmarried and with child – was frightening enough, beyond that was nearly unfathomable.

That was exactly the reason why she would not tell Chuck; she could not do that to him. If the citizens of Charleston talked about her then the gossip would only be the truth, but she would not stand by and let Chuck be brought down with her. That was his home, where he grew up. He would be newly reunited with his father and the last thing he would need was an outlandish scandal.

As much as it hurt for Blair to walk beside Chuck and weave their fingers together like nothing was amiss, without revealing the situation to him or how she felt, she knew it was for the better. For him, at least, and to her that mattered most. She would just have to quietly leave Charleston comforted by the fact that the man that she adored – no, _loved_ she admitted to herself – would remain unscathed by her mistake.

*****

Chuck was feeling a bit unproductive as he waited, lying in the sun with his forearm slung over his eyes. It had to have been close to noon and he was used to expending his excess energy throughout the day _or _with a certain passionate woman; who happened to be lying next to him. In his mind, he really could not have gotten more lucky, but she was the whole reason as to why he was trying to wait patiently and stave off his boredom.

During the night, Chuck could sense Blair's restlessness. He was not sure what had caused it, but he knew that something seemed to be bothering her throughout the past days. So, when he had woken at dusk and found that she had eventually dozed off he could not bring himself to wake her, she just looked too much at ease.

Uncovering his face, Chuck rolled his head to the side to see Blair in the same position in which he had initially found her. Part of her tanned face was covered by her arm lying in the way and it helped to conceal the now pinkish lines on her brow. He liked it better that way, because it made him feel too guilty to study her scarred features and know that it was the outcome of his unwise decisions.

A deep sigh rushed past his parted lips and thoughts of how he really needed to get to Charleston assaulted his mind, of how he really needed to take Blair to a real home. These thoughts always seemed to come when he let himself ponder over everything that had happened – specifically to her – during the course of their travels.

But, there was only one way to reach that destination and Chuck squinted into the sunlight one last time, before deciding it was time to leave and reaching out his hand.

"Blair, sweetheart, wake up…" Chuck very lightly trailed his fingertips down her neck and Blair abruptly woke, seeming somewhat disoriented. Dark eyes flitted around nervously, almost as if she was searching for something, or more correctly, remembering.

"Why didn't you wake me sooner?" Blair questioned, wanting to know why Chuck stood by while she lazed their day away. Any unordinary occurrence and she was jumping to conclusions, thinking that she had been found out.

His features went blank for a moment. "You just seemed…" Chuck's concerned sounding tone was then interrupted by his own smirk. "Well, why should I have?"

It was painfully apparent that Blair was already hiding something, so as Chuck slid his body over hers he tried to act like nothing was wrong. That maybe all of the recent nonsense was just beginning to get to her, and that after a few teasingly gentle kisses she would be as giggly and capricious as ever.

"What are you doing?" Blair asked, her voice coming out strained and a bit surprised as Chuck let his weight settle against her. The turn of his lips fell at her words; normally she knew exactly what his intentions were and was not hesitant to return them.

"Can't I kiss you anymore?" He said softly, while picking himself up with his forearms to watch over her out of the ordinary behavior.

The brunette beneath him visible relaxed, but her half-hearted smile was discouraging. "If that's what you want."

Chuck could only imagine what his face must have looked like after that statement. Blair was not the type to let him get away with anything and the fact that she had not returned his question with some clever remark was odd in itself.

Arching his brow, Chuck tried to keep the situation light despite the slight sting her words had caused. "You know what I want…"

Blair bit her bottom lip in concentration, most likely forming the witty response he had expected earlier, but then suddenly it seemed to pass and she gave up. "Chuck, it's just…"

"It's just what?"

Blair cast her eyes away from Chuck and her hands came up to run along the knotted muscles of his back. "Nothing, it's nothing."

Studying Blair's emotionless brown eyes, Chuck could not help but wonder what had transpired between them to cause such distance. When her expression did not change he lifted himself up, realizing that she was not having his advances and that she was going to keep pretending that whatever was bothering her, and now him, was just _nothing_.

*****

"You cannot be worn out already, Blair." Chuck stated aloud, from his position several paces ahead.

Since their exchange that morning he could not shake the slight annoyance and aggravation he was feeling toward her and her slow gait was not aiding. He knew it was probably wrong of himself to feel that way, but having to carry on with a sullen, withdrawn Blair was frustrating beyond measure.

The brunette did not bother to answer; she just kept staring at her dust covered boots while counting the steps that her sore feet were taking. She was not just worn out, she was thoroughly exhausted, but she supposed that could only be expected under her circumstances. So, instead of voicing her complaints as she normally would, she continued to tally each footfall in her head while trying to ignore Chuck nagging her to catch up.

Chuck kept with his prodding and purposely walked faster, easily maneuvering over fallen logs and other obstacles. "Honestly, Blair. The war will be over by the time we ever arrive in New Orleans."

"Will you leave me be!?" Blair suddenly shrieked, unable to listen to any more of Chuck's chatter. Their surroundings seemed to hush under her outburst, while Chuck turned about in bewilderment. He only had time to take in her rigid stance and outraged face before her hand came up to bar any words he was about to spill.

"Don't be angry with me over something that's your own fault, _Charles_!" She spat the words with a venom that Chuck had yet to experience from her, and his face immediately darkened with indignation. But now that the dam had been broken, Blair was not going to be stopped so easily. "I don't know why we didn't just march right into stupid Charleston in the first place!"

Chuck was practically seething; the only person who called him by his full name was his father. He heard the rest of what she had said, but just hearing Blair enunciate _that_ word with the same pure disgust that the only male role model in his life usually threw at him was enough to rapidly send him into a state of ire.

"_Blair_…" Chuck hissed as he began to stomp towards her, callously wishing that he knew of something to say to cut her down like she had unknowingly just done him. It did not even matter that he had no reasoning for her turn of emotions. "You know exactly the reason why. There are risks in being a deserter, risks that I would rather not take!"

By the time the last syllables left his mouth they were face to face and Blair was doing something that Chuck would have thought impressively bold if she had not been doing it to him. She was laughing at him, in a humorless, mocking tone that made his fingers twitch, just itching to grab her jaw and shut her up. He had a violent streak, no doubt, but he never thought that Blair would be in danger of bringing it out of him.

"Well maybe if you weren't such a coward you wouldn't have to hide yourself!"

The statement started as a haughty laugh and finished in a serious shout, but either way, Blair knew she should not have said it even as the words passed her lips. An apologetic expression flashed over her face, but Chuck's hand was already in a vice around her wrist, making her reflexively move to put her elbow into his chest before an event from her still fresh memories could be repeated.

"Chuck, I –"

A hard shake from the other hand tightly gripped on her shoulder and Blair forgot what she had been trying to say. Chuck's face was so close to hers that she could feel the warm puffs of breath escaping through his gritted teeth. She could also see the icy coldness in his eyes, which had never been present there before.

"I hope you never have to experience the horrors I'm running from, Blair…" Chuck whispered, sounding frighteningly calm as he moved his mouth close to her face, stirring her loose hair. Somewhere in a clearer part of his mind he knew she did not deserve to see this menacing side of him. "But maybe you still could." His lips slowly brushed the shell of her ear and Blair's heart began to thrum for all of the wrong reasons.

"If I'm honest, there's really no place for you in Charleston anyway…"

Too late. She had seen it now, and shocked into stillness, Blair examined the harsh lines of Chuck's face while his fingers dug into her arm. After all of the promises he made to her, she could not believe that of all things, he would hang that over her head. She was caught between varying emotions; vengeful of the underlying threat, helpless, and undeniably defeated. If he did not want her now, then there was no way he would want her if he knew of the secret she was carrying.

"Let me go." Blair said, the utterance coming out in a much softer and timid voice than she had imagined in her mind. But she was trying so hard to appear unfazed, even while seconds away from falling apart.

When the grip on her wrist failed to release and she could not stand to feel Chuck's dark eyes boring into her any longer, she became frantic. "I said let me go!"

With a quick disgusted motion, Chuck shoved himself away allowing Blair to stumble out of his grasp. She held her wrist against her chest, not even feeling the slight throb beneath her skin as she watched Chuck's tense figure briskly walking away.

The trembling of her lower lip was happening of its own accord, and as her pulse began to slow and the reality of the situation began to set in, she really could not find the sense in trying to stop it. Her eyes were burning warmly with unshed tears and since all she could see through her blurred vision was Chuck continuing to move further away, she did not bother to hold those back either.

The very tangible fear of being left alone wormed its way into her head and although she might have thought it better to never follow Chuck again, her feet would not obey.

He was some distance ahead and showing no signs of slowing down, instead using his pounding adrenaline to crash his way through the thick forest. All of the noise he was creating made it easy for Blair to keep him in sight, while at the same time not letting him hear all of the gasping and crying she was doing.

Thinking about the words repeating in her head, Blair almost did not realize when Chuck abruptly stopped and dropped down against the trunk of a weathered, moss covered tree.

"What are you doing?" Blair asked, nearing him and delicately trying to swipe the liquid coating her cheeks with the heel of her hand. Her voice was obviously thick and rasped with emotion and even though it was not difficult to detect she would have rather not given Chuck the satisfaction of seeing what he had done.

From beneath his lowered brows, Chuck deliberately pointed his hardened eyes to the woman standing in front of him before sweeping them towards his extended limb. At the end of his arm his hand was casually gesturing to the beaten down road cutting the dense vegetation only some yards away. It would have been noticeable to anyone of sound mind, but Blair was not denying that at the present she could care less about her surroundings.

"You might take care in composing yourself," stated Chuck with an air of detachedness about him, "I'd rather not be any more conspicuous than _we_ unfortunately already are."

He knew it was cruel and that was exactly why he decided to study a small knick on his finger instead of Blair's reaction. It had always been second nature to push people away and act like nothing affected him. He thought he had shed that aspect of his persona; at least he had tried very hard to do so around Blair. She had been a fresh start, someone who knew nothing of his crass behavior from before he enlisted in the military. But it seemed that it only took time before he disappointed her and himself.

Her voice could not be trusted to work properly and she feared saying the wrong thing, so Blair decided to say nothing at all. She would have liked to collapse on the ground, close her eyes, and will all existence of Chuck Bass from her head. But he had other plans, plans that she was surprised that she was included in.

"Come on, Bl–" Chuck stopped himself and let her name die on his lips. Blair's senses perked when his fingertips brushed past her own, but that was all it had been – a fleeting touch. It was just meant to get her attention and nothing more.

Blair wondered where her stubborn independence had gone. Normally, she would have never let someone – especially a man – treat her so poorly. She was the one who broke the hearts and sweetly grated on everyone's nerves. This was not Blair Waldorf, or was it? She felt so lost amongst everything that she could not even be sure anymore.

The road wound under their feet and then led into a clearing, where it became apparent that it was not a road, but in fact, the overgrown drive of a once beautiful and ornate manor. Spanish moss clung to its columns where it spilled from the trees and years of neglect had left it unshorn. Every window lining the veranda had been stripped of its panes, the evidence lying on the floorboards. Sliver-like shards of glass were strewn around, and they squealed and crunched under the weight of Chuck's boots.

"Give me your hand." Chuck demanded, breaking into Blair's visual exploration of the house's pitiful outsides.

Stepping forward, she forgot for a moment how upset she was and let him assist her over the broken stairs. "Why are we here?" She questioned, not even looking at Chuck, but at the grayish soot that had collected on some of the window sills.

"No reason…"

Chuck let go of her hand and Blair's face fell, only not from the loss of contact. She was horrifyingly fascinated by the shell of a house around her. She walked carefully around the brittle pieces below; she did not want to hear it breaking. It felt like she had no right to disturb the quietness with such harsh noises.

The distinct sound of wood splintering into pieces assaulted her ears as she moved through the threshold that should have contained a door. Chuck was standing on the upper landing of a staircase and breaking out the banisters with downward kicks of his foot, then throwing the scraps of wood over the rail to the floor below.

"Chuck…stop." Blair called to him lightly. It was unsettling to see how he could go about destroying what was once someone's home without a care, even though the previous damage was already irreparable.

"I want to make a fire. Why should I stop?" Chuck asked with a poignant look, before busting out another rung.

As she took in the sight of the blackened areas on the no longer gleaming hardwood floors where other small fires had been lit, Blair nodded in understanding. She knew it might be a failed attempt but she wanted to try anyway. "Because, I want you to."

Chuck snorted in sarcastic amusement and continued his task with renewed ferocity. "Well, that's too bad."

"Please…"

He gave one last kick before dramatically ceasing his actions, and then glaring at Blair all the way down the stairs until he shrugged past her and walked out the doorway. His patience was already drawn taut and he would rather traipse through the forest looking for firewood than listen to Blair's whining.

Once Chuck had so animatedly excused himself, Blair breathed out a sad sigh and ventured further into the empty house. The first room on her left was a large drawing room; at least that was what she pictured it had been before it was abandoned to the elements, soldiers, and stray wanderers, because aside from the dust and debris of broken furniture, there was nothing in the room that would make it identifiable with a proper title.

It was all too depressing to take in the situation around her and deciding that she did not wish to see any more than the gutted drawing room, Blair quietly sat against a wall on the scraps of an unraveling rug.

She brought her knees to her chest and crossed her arms over them. There was so much to think about, yet she would rather sit numbly than conjure up the strength to do so. She could hardly comprehend all of what had happened that day.

To distract herself, Blair allowed something not far from her side to catch her eye. A shattered plate of glass. Gently, she grasped one of the larger pieces between her fingertips, being careful so as not to let the sharp edges slice into her skin. If she angled its surface just right she could see an image of her face reflecting back, and it was none too pleasing.

This was the first time Blair had seen herself since her injury had taken place and it was not as serious as she was imagining it to be. But combined with her bloodshot, red rimmed eyes and the streaky trails from tears running down her face, it was enough for her to send the glass skittering and fragmenting across the floor; breaking just like she was.

Outside, Chuck's guilt was beginning to push his initial anger out of his thoughts. How could he not have known the reason why she did not want to see him dismantle someone else's house? Of course it reminded her of her own home! And he wanted to tear out his own traitorous tongue after he had let so many hurtful words slip past it! Blair had set him off, but the entire culmination of his stress and worries had provoked an intense, unnecessary reaction.

None of the things he had told her were true. They were the complete opposite, and that was frightening for Chuck. The last thing he would ever want was for her to be alone again and she most definitely had a place in Charleston – with him. Emotions like this did not come naturally for him, actually he had never felt emotions like this at all and he was struggling against another part of himself to not push Blair away.

The air was beginning to chill and as the mocking birds called eerily from the trees, Chuck realized that he was already leaving Blair alone. He broke into a sprint across the unkempt lawn, easily hoisting himself onto the porch and through the doorway. He was going to fix his mistakes before it was too late and he was going to find what was bothering Blair, because if he was _really_ honest, he wanted nothing more than to help her and be with her.

"Blair…" Chuck called softly and his voice sounded hollow in the openness of the house.

When he received no answer he made his way to the nearest room and with the little amount of light still left in the dusky sky he found Blair lying on the floor on her side, fast asleep with one arm wrapped around her stomach.

"Blair…" He tried again as he lowered himself down beside her. He wanted to apologize right away, but when she did not stir it seemed that it would have to wait. First thing, when she wakes in the morning, he told himself.

Chuck worked open the buttons of his jacket and pulled his arms from the sleeves, before laying the thick cloth over the sleeping brunette's torso. Then his fingers buried themselves in the silky waves spilling behind her shoulders and he rested his head on the wall, closing his eyes.

**~TBC~**


	14. Bon Voyage

Chapter 14 – Bon Voyage

If it had not been for the hardwood floor beneath her back, Blair would have entirely forgotten that she was in some deserted plantation in swampy Louisiana. She rubbed the ache out of her shoulder from lying on her side and then thinking a little further about where she was, she suddenly pushed herself onto her elbows.

There was no one else in the room with her; Chuck was nowhere in sight. Her pulse began to quicken with panicked anxiety. _He's gone…he left me._

When Blair moved to stand up her fingertips landed on rough fabric. Chuck's jacket was pinned beneath her hand and as she stared at it, she was not sure if she was relieved or even more distraught.

After swiftly grasping the jacket and clinging to it as if it were a lifeline, she quickly made her way out onto the veranda. But upon seeing two figures sitting in the weedy grass of the front yard, Blair nearly lost her footing while trying to retreat to the cover of the house once more.

The nearest wall provided a place to remain out of sight and to assess the unexpected situation. Although just as an onslaught of horrible outcomes started to flicker through her head, a snippet of conversation caught her attention. She could hear Chuck's voice and responding with casualness was another voice. Blair was surprised, to say the least, and she could not help but notice how…alluring the other man sounded. She could not make out all of their words, but there was a definite genuineness in the other voice. It was smooth, but not in the same way that Chuck's was both smooth and mysterious.

A few moments into her comparison, Blair realized how ridiculous and smitten she was being. Of all the things she could think about, she was finding similarities in Chuck and whoever his acquaintance might be while she should have been figuring out who he was.

Blair had a soft smirk on her face now, and she was not even sure why or if it was appropriate. She tipped her head past the doorway and carefully listened to what they were conversing about; pleased to hear Chuck saying the name of someone who seemed like a friend.

"It really is a long story, Nathaniel…"

"But you say you want her to go to Charleston with you?"

The question wiped the smile off Blair's face and she held her breath waiting for Chuck's response.

"Well, she doesn't really have any family…"

"Chuck, answer the question."

Blair was worrying the inside of her lower lip between her teeth now. _Yes, Chuck, just please, please answer the question!_

"I couldn't forgive myself if I left her alone…and really, I…I don't think I could bear to part with her anyway."

Whoever Nathaniel was, he found it quite amusing to hear Chuck's confession, while Blair could not have heard a more perfect statement. Her lip was still between her teeth, but she felt like she could breathe again.

"Please tell me you're not just taking advantage of the poor girl, Chuck. It wouldn't be beyond you."

Damn him, Blair thought to herself. Why does this Nathaniel character think he needs to fish for information, was he trying to destroy her chances?

"No, not at all. I know this sounds strange coming from me, but there's something about Blair. Of course she's temperamental, but she's also…she's also very sweet."

Chuck sounded so thoughtful and sincere that Blair felt like her heart might fall out of her chest and melt all over the dingy floor.

"But only when she wants to be."

Then her brows screwed up into disgust, she should have expected that from him, but it was all out of adoration she was sure and it still made her smile.

As she listened to the two men laugh together, the bleak thought that had been at the back of her mind started to surface. She knew she should not be fawning over what Chuck had said. It did not seem fair when she already knew that South Carolina would not be where her travels ended. Sliding her hand over her still flat stomach she wondered if it was even right to leave New Orleans with Chuck.

"So when do I get to meet her?"

"Now, but wait here…I should talk to her first."

Blair took a few steps back into the hallway, not wanting Chuck to find she had been eavesdropping the entire time. She tried to feign being unaware, and acted nonchalant and clueless when he appeared in the doorway.

"You're awake…" Chuck stated the obvious and attempted to give a forced, half-smile. His hand fidgeted at his side and it was easy to see that words were failing him.

"Yes." Blair's answer was nearly monotone, except for the tiny hint of sarcasm that threw itself in out of habit. She would not have cared if she had just heard him say that Nate was a traveling diamond salesman and that he had just spent his father's fortune on an engagement ring for her; he had still treated her horribly the day before and she was going to be angry. Or at least she was going to pretend to be angry.

"So, it seems like you're feeling better this morning. Yes?"

They both knew in their minds that he was just trying to keep matters civil. But at the same time, Blair wanted to cock her brow at the absurd question and tell him how fortunate it was that she did feel well, because if not, she might have to throw up all over his boots.

Instead, she mirrored his earlier gesture of a tight, uncomfortable smile. "I suppose."

"Well, there's someone here that I want you to meet." He said hesitantly, waiting for some type of reaction and preferably a good one.

While Blair would not have considered herself in a league of great actresses, she certainly knew how to put on a winning show. She just hoped that Chuck would not notice the lack of enthusiasm for this particular performance.

"Chuck, whoever would be here, in the middle of nowhere that I would possibly need to meet?"

She made his claim seem like a lie and she wanted to laugh at the way Chuck squirmed to correct himself. It was just an unusual sight.

He tried to reason with her. "I'm being serious –"

But then a tall figure blocking the sunlight streaming through the empty doorframe was interrupting his efforts. As he came into focus and the shadows of being inside pushed the glare of light off his face, a delectable image was proving Chuck honest.

"I'm Nathaniel Archibald, Nate if you like," the sandy blonde haired man announced, not even bothering to wait for a formal introduction from Chuck.

Tied to her manners, Blair found her hand rising of its own accord and soon Nate was carefully holding her fingers within his own.

"May I?" Nate was asking as he bent at the waist, his mouth poised above the backs of her knuckles.

His eyes were just so strikingly blue that it was only natural to be drawn in; they were nearly as navy blue as his…outfit? Blair knew she was staring, but through the unlikely surprise of having two handsome faces surrounding her, her flirty personality began to shine despite the color he was wearing and her previous mood.

"Blair Waldorf, and you may," Blair smiled invitingly, "but only if I may say that the color of your uniform does nothing for you."

Nate returned her smile with a humored shake of his head and then he lightly brushed his lips against her soft skin. "You're words were all too true, Chuck." He paired his last comment with a sly wink and carefully placed her hand back at her side.

"What words?" Blair giggled, looking at Chuck and then to Nate again.

Chuck had seen enough of the little brunette's Southern belle act, as well as Nate's charms of being a perfect gentleman. Grasping her other hand, he brought Blair's attention back to him.

"Never mind. Now, if you will excuse us, Nathaniel." Chuck stated with a look of annoyance directed at his friend, which had no effect at all.

"Of course…" laughed Nate, sweeping his arm out.

Blair followed obediently as Chuck led her further into the house, a sinking feeling in her stomach growing deeper with every step they took.

He stopped in the middle of another empty room in which the soft yellow paint peeled from the walls. The scene was just as dismal as they both felt. Nate's arrival may have distracted them for a few moments, but it could not completely erase the rift that had come between them.

"Blair…" Chuck breathed out. He sounded exhausted, like everything had just become too much.

Biting her tongue and quickly blinking her eyes, she fought the sudden urge to cry. She knew the feeling. "Yes, Chuck?"

"I'm sorry for yesterday. I wanted to tell you sooner, but you were asleep."

There was so much more to say, but he could not think. Blair looked beyond unhappy as she stood facing him, and he wanted nothing more than to embrace her and beg forgiveness. His pride and better judgment held him back though. And while he was still holding her hand between their bodies, he was not certain if she would even accept such contact.

"I thought you left me." Blair whispered to keep her voice from slipping.

Slow seconds passed before Chuck realized what she was saying and the guilt weighing on his conscience increased. "I would never do that." He whispered back while taking her other hand, because somehow he needed her to know he was being sincere.

Blair stayed silent, nodding her head and averting her eyes to the floor below until she had to ask the question on her mind. "Why didn't you tell me we were here to meet Nate?"

"After what happened I didn't know how to explain it."

"Oh…" Blair acknowledged the statement, but her wondering was still getting the better of her. "Is he really a Yankee?"

"He is, but he was my friend first." A soft smile played on Chuck's lips; her curiosity was endearing. "Before he left for Boston, he lived in Charleston and we went to school together."

Blair was following, but she could not imagine the reason why anyone would leave the South in favor of the North. "Why did he leave?"

"It's where his family is originally from, when the war seemed like it was really going to happen they left the South. His father and grandfather are both captains and it was only right that they fight for the North." Chuck seemed reminiscent and a bit somber as he explained how he had ties to the enemy.

Furrowing her brow, she quickly figured out where Chuck was taking this conversation. "You're taking a Union ship home, aren't you?"

Chuck nodded seriously and before he could say anything more, Blair was filling the silence. "How could you, Chuck!? You could be killed!"

She moved to pull her hands away from his, but Chuck was faster in his movements and held tight to her fingers. "Listen to me, Blair. Nate's father is the captain, we all know what could happen but there's no other way. I promise that –"

"No! You keep making these promises, but what if you can't keep this one!"

Chuck's palm traveled to Blair's jaw, trying to calm her down and have her understand. "If you come with me I won't let anything happen to you," he whispered and then a painfully hopeful expression took over his features, "you are coming with me, aren't you?"

Dark eyes ventured to the floor again, and Blair tried to ignore the way Chuck's thumb was smoothing over her cheek. She had a choice to make, but she did not know how to live with either decision. If she stayed she would be alone and if she left there was a good possibility that she would still end up alone or worse. Maybe if she just told him he would understand, but the thought of doing so made her blood rush with nervous energy.

Finally lifting her head up, she thought she had made a decision. "Chuck, you should know that I…I'm…" But then he was smiling at her and there was no way she could go through with it. "I'm going with you."

Blair was glad when Chuck pulled her against his chest and wrapped his arms around her because she did not have to hide the look of pure disappointment on her face. Not disappointment with him, but with herself. Twice she had been too frightened to admit that she was carrying their baby and each time she felt more lost. She had to wonder if she would ever work up the courage to tell him.

*****

Blair's mind was wandering to all sorts of places as she, Chuck, and Nate waited for night to fall. They were all sitting on the porch and while Nate and Chuck talked amongst themselves, she was entertaining herself with different thoughts. Some were depressing, like when she thought of the last time they had to wait until dark to carry out some other grand scheme and the result was awful. Or of how much easier life would be if her pregnancy had been a mistake all along, or if by some chance she quietly lost the baby without anyone finding out. When it became overwhelming to think of such things she found it amusing to imagine an ideal life. One where she and Chuck had met under normal circumstances, she was his wife and they were expecting their first child.

It's just wishful thinking, Blair thought sadly to herself and tried to force a picture of a proud Chuck holding a small bundle of blankets out of her head.

"What are you thinking of?" Suddenly, Chuck was sitting beside her and hanging his legs over the porch's edge, mimicking her own position.

"Nothing really…" Blair lied, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

A hand covered hers in a comforting manner and it really did make her feel a little better. "We'll be alright, Blair."

"I know." She lied again. It all felt like lies now.

*****

Some hours later Chuck and Blair found themselves in the midst of a Union bound city, being led by Nate to the docks where his father's ship was held. They strayed only as far as dark alleys and partially lit streets, for if anyone directly witnessed the exchange the consequences would be dire.

Blair recalled a time when her parents had brought her to the seaside city when she was so young that her memories of the trip were hazy and pieced together. She remembered her mother purchasing the latest fashions and the many people that frequented the storefronts, but what she was seeing now did not seem familiar. The air was damp and heavy, and the figures they did come across leered at her through the darkness, making her weave her fingers tighter through Chuck's.

"Chuck?" Blair tried to be as quiet as possible and still catch his attention by tugging on his hand.

"What's wrong?" Chuck asked, sounding distracted. His eyes were on Nate's back, who was just a few paces ahead. It was evident that he was on edge by the way he kept one arm snuggly clutched around Blair's shoulders and the other linked with her hand.

"Won't there be soldiers on the ship?" she questioned back.

Chuck squeezed her fingers in reassurance. "Shh, it's been taken care of, just keep walking."

They could smell the salty ocean water before the sloshing sound of waves reached their ears, and it sent a shiver of finality along Chuck's spine. The hardest part was finished and his goal was nearly within reach. Everything was in the Captain's control now, and he completely trusted him to take them home.

Thinking of being home again made Chuck think not of his family or friends, but of the woman whose hand he was holding. Would she stay? Would she want to be with him any longer? _Could_ they even be together any longer? He was grateful for Nate interrupting him because he only wanted to consider those questions to have one answer.

"Chuck!" Nate's insistent whisper broke into the night, which was mostly quiet save the rippling water and far off sounds of the inner city. "Take Blair to the end of that dock, I'll help you up from there."

After eyeing the area that his friend had pointed out, Chuck nodded his understanding and watched as Nate disappeared to the opposite side of the boat where he knew a single gas lamp illuminated the main gangplank.

Nate remerged on the deck of the ship, his silhouette nearly invisible against the blue black sky behind him. There was a particularly loud shuffle of noise as he kicked out another smaller gangplank and each of them tensed, waiting for someone to realize what they were doing, but thankfully it never came.

"Take my hand," the figure at the opposite end of the plank urged Blair, outstretching his arm.

Chuck's fingertips separated with her shoulder blade as she linked hands with Nate, trying not to look down to the inky water below her on either side. She felt secure with her fingers laced between his though, because just like Chuck, she knew that he would not let anything happen to her. And soon she was standing on enemy grounds, Chuck not far behind.

Moments after boarding the ship, Nate was leading them to the quarters where the Captain was waiting to meet them. They also needed to be stowed away before any of the crew members returned from the rare leave they had been given.

Every sound, every click had Blair nearly jumping out of her skin and when she and Chuck were finally ushered through a dimly lit doorway, she had to watch for herself as Nate pulled the door closed behind them. It felt like she could exhale for the time being.

"Chuck, so good to see you again, I –"

Suddenly, the room was bathed in candle light and the stocky man that had turned around to greet Chuck was eyeing the trio strangely. His focus was automatically drawn to the young woman between the two men, one with whom her fingers were tightly laced within.

"Who's this?" the Captain asked as he stared directly at Blair, his lopsided smile conveying a little more than curiosity. He looked nice enough, as he stood awaiting a response in his impeccable uniform with its gold polished buttons, but there was also an unnerving quality to his persona.

Chuck recognized the subtle lecherousness in the Captain's voice and his instincts to protect what was _his_ took hold. It was undeniable that Blair warranted attention, he just refused to believe that is should come from anyone beside him. He was trying to formulate some type of acceptable explanation to Blair's presence without sounding ridiculous, but fortunately, Nate took over for him.

"This is Blair Waldorf, father. She's just a friend of Chuck's who needs to get to Charleston." Nate explained, "We met her in the city."

As soon as the words left his mouth Chuck was glaring at his lifelong friend with a clenched jaw and it already seemed that Nate himself had realized the blunder he had made. Blair was thankful for the low amount of light because she could feel the hot blush of her skin traveling down her chest, as Nate's father continued to ogle her with renewed vigor. But none of the three younger individuals could offer up any excuse to the statement.

The Captain casually broke the awkward pause with a humored chuckle and strode towards Blair, taking her hand. "Well, you are the most beautiful _friend_ I've ever seen and it is a pleasure to meet you."

Blair wanted to jerk her fingertips from the grasp of the Captain's large, clammy hand and she could tell by the way that Chuck's own hand twitched against hers that he wanted her to do the same. She could not understand how Nate had procured such manners when his father seemed to have none at all.

After he had finished his odd greeting, the Captain clapped Chuck on the back, an action which the younger man could only acknowledge with a strained smile and nod.

"Not to worry, Chuck, I'll have you two home in no time." he stated, and then excused himself from the cabin with just as much mystery as he had appeared.

Once his father had left, Nate turned to Chuck with a sheepish grin. "You'll have this cabin until we arrive. Goodnight, for now."

"Why, I can't thank you enough, Nathaniel." Chuck spat as Nate walked past him to the door, still wearing the same stupid expression. "Charming beyond measure, yet still as clueless as ever."

The last sentence was spoken clearly, purposely loud enough for Nate to know what Chuck thought of his mindless declaration about Blair. He really was not angry, he had spent his entire childhood alongside Nate and he could only ever voice his disgusted opinion, because it never seemed that the blonde would learn anyway.

Blair released an audible sigh when the door closed and finally left them alone. "The Captain thinks I'm a whore."

Chuck smiled softly as she turned to look up at him, her pretty face a mixture of cynical humor and pure exhaustion. "Are you?"

Blair's hand made a sharp cracking noise as she slapped him across the shoulder for his comment and while she crossed her arms over her chest to pout, she struggled not to smile. Despite the circumstances, it felt good to hear Chuck's joking, which could infuriate and entertain all at once.

He enveloped her in his arms and she did not hesitate in laying her cheek against his chest and gripping her hands over his shoulder blades.

"I'm sorry, Nate didn't mean anything by it and the Captain is the Captain, he's always been strange. It'll only be a few days, and then we'll be home."

At the mention of being 'home,' Blair pressed herself even closer to Chuck, hoping that she would never have to let go. From where she stood she could see an area of the city lights shimmering off the black water below, through one of the portholes. It was what they had both been anticipating, but now Blair wished she could slow the days while Chuck most likely wished for their swift passing.

**Hey, everybody! I just wanted to say THANK YOU for all of the awesome reviews, alerts, favorites, etc! I love to hear what you all think of this story! So, we finally got to meet N and the Captain and yes, I made the Captain a little bit of a creeper because honestly...I think he is one on the show! Haha, anyway, thanks for reading!**


	15. Charleston, South Carolina

**Hey guys! I'm so so sorry for the super long wait between updates...school is no fun! I just wanted to say thank you for all of the favoriting, alerting, and especially the reviews! I appreciate every single one of them, so thanks so much! Also, it's pretty late and I just wanted to update as soon as possible, I didn't really read over the last part, so forgive me for any mistakes! Enjoy! **

Chapter 15 – Charleston, South Carolina

Chuck stared out the clouded, salt water spattered porthole even after the last traces of the Southern coast faded from his eyesight. Nate had instructed him to remain unseen and unheard while he and his father tended to the rest of their little hoax, so it was both fortunate and unfortunate that Chuck had many different thoughts to occupy his mind.

Blair lied asleep on one of the small bunks in the cabin, having yet to wake after closing her eyes the previous evening. Chuck had also been stealing glances at her when he was not looking out over the sea, and wondering when she would wake. He had definitely taken notice to her increased sleeping habits, but he could only excuse them as being a reaction to their trying experiences.

He continued to watch over her and some minutes later a murmur of what seemed like discomfort broke the relative silence in the room. Blair turned to her side, before abruptly sitting up on the edge of the bed, breathing heavily.

"Blair? Are you well?" Chuck hesitantly questioned, cocking his head as he watched her face lose all of its color within a matter of seconds.

She did not give him an answer; instead she looked at him for a few moments and then vomited all over the worn wooden floorboards beneath her feet. Rushing to her side, Chuck gathered her long hair in one hand to avoid more of a mess and massaged her back with the other, while she coughed and retched until she could scarcely breathe.

"Breathe, Blair."

Chuck was gently lowering her head down and trying to calm her, but the waviness in her vision was making it quite impossible. She heaved again and in an out of character display she made a very unflattering sucking noise, before spitting onto the floor. Chuck was astounded and it made him want to laugh as he pet her back, he never thought he would see the day when Blair Waldorf would purposely ignore the notion of being a lady.

"Sorry…" Blair mumbled, and then let herself fall back onto the bed.

Chuck gave her a small smile as he moved her loose hair away from her forehead. His fingertips skimmed her flesh, which was cool and moist, and a shade of sickly white. He had not thought to tell her that a journey at sea was not always a pleasant one.

Blair's brown eyes appeared even darker while she looked up to Chuck's sympathetic face. She felt like her head was close to splitting open and she did not think she would really mind at all. The nausea was unlike anything she had ever dealt with, even considering her first few bouts with morning sickness. She hated the ocean already.

"It should pass. You'll get used to being on the water." Chuck tried to reassure her and truly hoped that he was correct, or else the coming days were sure to be hellish for her.

It was her own fault that she had not told anyone and while she should have felt grateful for Chuck being so patient with her, all she was really starting to feel was aggravation. Blair strongly believed that Chuck was well above the average intelligence of most men she had encountered in her life, but she had to wonder how someone could be so doltish as to not recognize the various signs of pregnancy. Obvious events had occurred – _many times_ – and how he had not figured it out was beyond her.

With a purse of her lips, Blair answered with the nicest words she could muster. "I guess you'll find out, won't you."

Before the subtle chill in her voice could fully register in Chuck's mind, Blair was already turned away from him, huddling into the itchy wool bedding. She could not sit by and pretend she was _just_ seasick with the mood she had found herself in; it would be too tempting to blurt everything out in frustration.

Chuck's hand hesitated above Blair's shoulder for a fraction of a second and then retreated back to his own knee. He was a little confused. But he certainly knew better than to pester a disgruntled woman. He studied the relaxed profile of her face and immediately decided that he wanted it to stay that way; he would let her sleep as long as she pleased.

While taking a deep breath in and then sighing it out, Chuck peered down at the disgusting puddle that Blair had left him to clean. His thoughts wandered to his antebellum lifestyle, where under no circumstances would he ever have done such a task for himself let alone another person. But it was a sign of the times for him; he had changed immensely over the course of the war, just as most people had been forced to do in the South. Although he could only appreciate the transformation as it seemed that he had not only come out unscathed, but he had acquired surprisingly good fortunes along the way. Even if one said good fortune had just thrown up all over their cabin moments before.

Rising from Blair's side, Chuck busied himself with trying to find some type of cleaning implement, when suddenly there was a light knock on the door. Only two people knew of the room's secret occupants, so as the door slowly began to creak open it was obvious whose face would appear.

"She's not taking well to the ocean, I see." Nate laughed from the doorway, with his usual ill-timed attempts at humor. His eyes scanned the area of floor beside his friend's feet. "Maybe I could have my father send down some peppermint tea for her, I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

Chuck stood in the middle of the cabin, the irritated expression he wore was his only greeting to Nate and his stance alluded to all of the amusement that he was not finding in the comment. He was a little too tense to deal with Nate's antics and before he could give himself a reason to stop, he rushed the blonde through the threshold and cunningly pinned him against the wall behind.

"You better have damn well told your father that she isn't some filthy whore!" Chuck spat viciously, forgetting his longtime loyalty to his friend for the sake of Blair's name. His fingers twisted and curled into the blue fabric lapels of Nate's overcoat, increasing the pressure with which he was pushing him into the solid surface.

Nate gave a nervous laugh as he frantically searched his friend's dark eyes with uncertainty, hoping that he was not being as serious as he appeared. "He – he means no harm, Chuck. She's perfectly safe!"

Chuck took a moment to reflect and his grip loosened. Of course Blair was safe, because he would be there to gut any man who dare get near her, let alone touch her in any way. He eventually let his hands fall to his sides again and the breath that Nate released was clearly heard.

Although it seemed that without Chuck's fists in such close proximity to his face, Nate was feeling bold and his next words were hissed in a tone of disbelief. "What is so _special_ about her that it causes such a reaction!?"

"Nothing that I would expect you to understand…" Chuck tossed back dryly. If only he knew exactly why himself, then maybe he would have been willing to explain.

*****

"What could I do to make you smile?" the man lying beside Blair quietly asked with honest curiosity, while he walked his fingers along her forearm and they lied in the dim, candlelit room.

The question in itself nearly brought on the hint of a smile, but it also brought a bittersweet reminiscence of an effortless happiness. Chuck had wondered the same question the morning after their first kiss and at the time things had been complicated for each of them, and through each other they had been able to forget for awhile. They had laughed and made love while stuck in the limbo between escaping reality and eventually having to confront it again. It had seemed perfect, but somewhere along the way their separate troubles had become woven together so tightly and created an even greater issue, and now their lives could not be so easily disentangled from one another.

"Blair?" Chuck whispered, trying to gently focus her attention.

"Oh…I'm sorry, I was just thinking." Blair answered, still sounding absent and caught amongst her thoughts. What could he do? Love her? Marry her? Save her like he had already done so many times before?

Chuck gave her a soft smile, bringing his hand to cup her jaw. "I just feel as if I haven't heard you laugh in such a long time. You are sick, I know, but I feel like…oh, I don't know…"

"Well, I've not felt like myself lately either," offered Blair. Chuck's voice had trailed off with uncertainty, but his intentions were not lost.

Her long lashes swept down to her cheeks, as Blair closed her eyes to avoid the contemplating stare that was upon her. She wished she had courage enough to tell him, but instead she would be content feeling the touch of his hand as it moved down her ribcage.

"You have lost so much weight…" Chuck suddenly stated, making Blair's eyes glide open in silent shock over what he had just said.

Her voice was a weak, faint whisper. "_What?_"

"You are not as full as you used to be," he observed aloud and his palm soon found the curve of her breast. Nonchalance was apparent in his tone and as she nervously watched him study her body, Blair could feel stubborn tears trying to surface from the painful irony. "But do not worry, sweetheart, we'll fatten you up when we get to Charleston."

Blair was close to choking on her tongue as she swallowed repeatedly, wanting the tightness in her throat to leave her. She did not know how he could speak like that, like they would continue to remain together once they finally reached the East coast. And atop the disbelief was the knowledge that maybe he was trying to offer her something that she knew she could not accept.

She wanted to tell him to stop speaking, that she wanted to rest. But moments later he was whispering to her again and saying all the things that he thought would put her at ease.

"And you will never have to walk anywhere ever again. I'll buy you the best carriages and the most beautiful, strong horses in the South."

Blair swiftly turned to her side, before Chuck could see the array of emotions coming over her face. And instead of slipping down her cheeks, her tears ran over the bridge of her nose to eventually run across her temple and into her dark hair. She just could not understand why he would talk of such a lavish lifestyle when they had no true obligations to one another.

"What's the matter?" Chuck swiftly inquired, for he had abruptly found himself staring at the back of the petite brunette's head.

"I just – I just don't want to speak about this anymore. I don't feel well." Blair said in explanation, her voice remaining even despite the ache in her windpipe and the initial stutter. If he was a true gentleman, then he would not press any further – and she knew he was.

After tenderly petting the hair above her ear down to its ends, Chuck pressed a light kiss to her temple and nestled his face into the nape of her neck. Blair allowed his hand to linger on her shoulder and after a few moments she moved her own to touch his fingers, letting him know that it was alright to wrap his arm around her waist and hold her close.

It seemed like hours before Blair had spent all of her tears while Chuck slept soundly against her back. Her eyes felt as if sand had collected beneath their lids, yet sleep would not come. She knew she needed to rest, if not for her own sake then for the unborn child she was carrying. So, she forced her eyes to shut and kissed the backs of Chuck's knuckles, where they were clasped with her hand under her chin. It was just too difficult to relax into sleep when it would only bring her closer to the inevitable.

*****

A few days had passed aboard the ship and once again Chuck and Blair had found themselves lurking about in the night, with Nate as their guide.

"You are going to feel so much better once you arrive in the city. It's beautiful, and the sea breeze is always refreshing." Nate genially informed, while he helped Blair into a heavy coat he had found for her and began closing up the buttons. She stood facing him, seeming somewhat dazed as she held his bicep to steady herself against the rocking that would never cease.

"Mhmm…" she agreed, although doubtfully. She felt like every muscle in her body was tense and quivering with sickness and exhaustion, and it only worsened as she tried to stay on her feet.

Nate examined her gaunt, chalky complexion with empathy, a result of having spent many days stricken by seasickness himself. "I'm sorry that you were not meant for the sea. We would have loved to have you as our little sailor in blue."

Chuck's face turned to one of disgust as he tied the laces of his boots and listened to his longtime friend attempt to liven Blair's spirits. But upon hearing her half hearted answer, he could not help but hide a victorious smile.

"Nate, you know how I hate this color, I just can't take it." Blair stated robotically, yet her sense of humor was still present despite her feeble condition. Nate slid the last button into place and grinned amusedly at her response; her relationship with his best friend was still quite mysterious, but he was beginning to realize why this woman had so easily been able to charm Chuck.

"No one can tolerate such a vulgar color, well, at least no one with proper upbringing and taste." Chuck spoke haughtily as he stood from the edge of the bunk and moved closer to the petite brunette and the taller blonde man. "Besides, if she is anything, she is a little soldier in grey."

Blair was too miserable to care, but Nate could not deny the words and nodded in full agreement. "I'm afraid you are correct, Chuck. Now should we get her back to land?"

*****

After another set of strategic maneuvers and parting favors from the Captain, the newly formed trio was several hundred yards off the shore in one of the ship's smaller vessels. The lamp lights on the wharves seemed to be far off in the distance, but it was only a trick of the soft haze; their destination laid just a few oar strokes away.

Chuck and Nate each held an oar, and they rowed in time with one another to fight the constantly uneven surface of the ocean. The moon was not visible in the blackish blue sky, leaving the men to trust their military honed instincts to correctly reach the stretch of fine sand ahead of them.

Blair kept her arms crossed over her chest, warming her hands in the too long sleeves of the jacket. She was beginning to feel small in the entire situation and all she could do was listen to the repetitive swirling of the water, like it was the seal on her fate. She would have liked to been able to have Chuck's hand holding her own, lightly squeezing her fingers in that way that made her feel safe even if that had not been the purpose.

Suddenly, Blair was gasping into the wind. Her eyes had been staring at the nothingness that seemed to go on forever without the presence of the sun, when Chuck took her hand in just the manner she had been thinking of.

"Almost there now, just a little further," he whispered in assurance, as if she had not already known. But it was exactly what she needed to hear – his voice. And although she hated that such insignificant things now charged her emotions at the most inopportune of times, she did not try to stop the glassiness that gathered in her eyes. It was not like her two companions would notice in the darkened night anyway.

"This is it, Chuck!" Nate abruptly spoke, and Blair's head swiveled to take in the decreasing amount of feet between the boat and solid ground. The nausea that had plagued her entire stay on the navy ship had not lessened, but it had become rather tolerable and Blair was thinking that she could take more, so long as she did not have to step foot on the beach.

Nate had taken up the oars and Chuck had easily stepped to the boat's side and then leapt into the shallow water immediately below, without Blair hardly being able to take notice.

"Come on, Blair!" Chuck said, nearing a yell. Maybe it was the excitement of finally feeling his home beneath his feet or the urgency to see Nate off that caused it, but it could not have mattered, not when the sound of waves smashing was drowning out his voice.

The water was cold when Blair's boots finally plunged into it and even though it reached to just her waist, it still sent faint twinges of fear through her body. She knew she was in no danger, but it brought on an odd sensation that she would most likely never forget.

Nate tossed out the bag that contained whatever had been salvaged of Chuck's possessions along the way and the smile was evident in his voice when he shouted, "That's the last of you, Charles! Now, take care of yourself _and_ take care of her!"

His caring words made Blair smile as well; she would always remember the great risks he had taken for Chuck, and for her, someone he had never known before. "I don't know how to ever thank you, Nate, but just promise me that someday you will come home."

"I promise I shall try!" Nate laughed, and a part of his mind told him that one day he would probably follow through with the pact.

Stepping forward and grasping the bow of the boat, Chuck leaned in towards his best friend to show his sincerity as he said, "Thank you, Nathaniel. If ever you need anything, you know where I am."

The exchange between the men was nearly impossible to see with the lack of light, but Blair could have imagined the grave expression on Chuck's face as he spoke. He was always true to his word, he could be stubborn and even cruel sometimes, but he was honest.

Nate gave a swift, understanding nod to the meaningful statement, which Chuck also mirrored before giving the bow a shove back into the ocean.

"Goodbye!" Nate shouted, just his dark silhouette slightly visible as he started towards his father's ship once more.

"Goodbye!" Both Chuck and Blair answered back in unison, eventually letting their voices die off to nothing but the natural sounds around them.

Once Nate was out of sight, Blair was suddenly consumed with her own thoughts and it was not until Chuck gently pulled at her hand that she realized that they were still standing in several feet of water.

"Let's get out of this water…" Chuck suggested, slinging his bag over one strong shoulder.

They trudged through liquid that was making their clothing cling to their legs as they tried to move. Blair followed obediently, keeping her fingers linked between Chuck's knuckles and enjoying the sensation of the water becoming shallower and shallower, until they finally walked onto the crushed shells of the beach.

"My father's home is only a few miles from this beach," informed Chuck, almost breathless in his enthusiasm. Blair was attempting a reply, but before she thought of anything reasonable warm lips were pressed upon her own in an open mouthed, passionate kiss. A kiss which made her powerless to do anything but surrender.

When Chuck had finished devouring Blair's lips, his hands had made their way to the sides of her face, holding her closely in place. "Come on, Blair…" he whispered, and then suddenly he was practically dragging her over the sandy ground and through beach grass. Her mind was running in many different directions, but Chuck's excitement was like that of a little boy and Blair could only find it endearing.

After they had left the shore, Chuck was leading Blair through unfamiliar streets and alleys. They were not like those of New Orleans, they were cleaner and although completely deserted, they still seemed more comfortable and inviting. The city was relatively untouched by the war and it was certainly noticeable when compared to other regions of the country.

Soon they had made their way to an obviously upper class neighborhood, and Chuck was becoming more exhilarated with each step. Three streets lamp passed overhead and then their walking ceased in front a large, multistoried townhouse constructed of pale reddish bricks; complete with two verandas surrounding most sides of the building.

Chuck stood for a moment, silently scrutinizing the house's features while the brunette by his side was beginning to shiver from the combination of soaked clothing and nerves. Maybe he was looking for differences or for things that were recognizable, but whatever it was, Blair could not have exactly known. He had never been one to speak much about his past, his lifestyle, or even his family, so as he led her up the manicured walk her stomach turned with uncertainty.

Chuck attacked the door knocker first, and when no one in the darkened home took immediate notice he pounded at the solid wood surface with his fist. Finally, after minutes of trying, a male house servant cracked open the door just far enough to see who would be calling at such an hour of the night. It took only seconds for the individual's face to light up with realization before he hurriedly threw the door open, creating a way for his younger master to enter his home.

"Master Charles, we haven't –"

"Give me this." Chuck commanded as he took the lit candelabra from the man's hand. He did not mean to sound so gruff, but he was not concerned with discussing how his family had not seen him in several years. All he could think of was Blair and her hand quivering within his own.

He used his only light source to navigate the foyer, and was glad to find the table and pair of chairs that he remembered, still in their places. Placing the candles on the table, Chuck guided Blair to one of the chairs, quietly telling her, "Here, Blair, sit down."

Blair was unsure of everything around her and of what was going to happen, but it eased her worries a bit when Chuck kneeled on the floor before her and held her hands. He was just about to speak again, when suddenly another light was illuminating the room and a feminine voice cut the silence with surprise and urgency.

"Chuck!?"

**Next chapter we'll be meeting some different characters, and things will get a bit eventful! Thanks for reading! :)**


	16. In The Silence Of The Night

**Hey guys! Hope I didn't keep you waiting too long for this chapter, I think this may have been one of the fastest updates in a while! And once again, thank you SOO much for all of the reviews, favoriting, and alerts…this past chapter had the most reviews yet, so that was exciting! I decided to do a double update this time because I wrote a lot and I thought I would use it as a thank you for always being so patient while I take forever writing this story! Anyway, hope you enjoy it and keep in mind that this is definitely NOT the end, so I'll try to get the next one out quickly! :) **

Chapter 16 – In The Silence Of The Night

"Chuck!?"

The abrupt exclamation caused both Blair and Chuck to start, and the hand that Chuck had extended to Blair's cheek twitched against her skin upon hearing the tone of the familiar voice. He had not heard it in such a long time that it was both strange and comforting all at once.

Swiftly rising from his knees, Chuck caught a young woman with long layers of blonde locks in his embrace, as she flung herself against his chest.

"I've missed you so much, Chuck! I didn't think you would ever come home!" she announced, while holding Chuck around his shoulders and burying her face in his neck. Blair felt her heart sink, whoever she was, she was certainly gorgeous with her gold colored hair and she certainly held no resemblance to the dark haired man she was hugging fiercely.

Chuck smiled softly at her slightly dramatic words and pet both of his hands down the girl's thick waves, and as Blair sadly noticed, in just the same way that he would stroke her hair. "Oh, Serena, did you really think your big brother would not come home to you?"

Blair's emotions were so shot that she felt that she could have cried with surprise and relief when she heard Chuck refer to himself as the young woman's brother. She knew nothing of him having any siblings, and the fact that he had not told her made her feel as if the time they had spent together was unimportant. Yet, she still sat uncomfortably in his family's foyer, watching him have a long awaited homecoming with his sister.

Finally, after what seemed like several long minutes, Chuck turned his attention back to Blair and placed his hand on Serena's back, urging her forward. And suddenly, increasingly worried blue eyes were concentrated on deep brown ones.

"Serena this is Blair, and Blair this is my sister…well, my step-sister, Serena." Chuck said somewhat uneasily. He was not sure how Blair would be welcomed into his home, but he could only hope that it would be warmly.

Blair felt like a fool, at a loss for words and looking like complete trash in front of this beautiful girl in her obviously expensive silk dressing gown. She had never felt such an emotion before and it brought back memories from when she had those luxuries, and when she would have never felt like she was below anyone. But as the seconds ticked past and Serena continued to study her silently as well, she began to notice that the only expression on the other girl's face was one of concern.

"Did you come from the ocean!?" Serena anxiously inquired after taking in Blair's drenched and shivering form. The question was meant for her brother, although her gaze was directed at the brunette that she was moving to kneel beside. She did not have the slightest idea as to why Chuck had someone with him and a woman no less, but she would wonder about that later.

"You poor thing, you're soaked to the bone!" Serena said with dismay, after she had placed her hand over Blair's knee.

"Charles, is that you!?"

Suddenly, the room was erupting into chaos with different noises and emotions, keeping Chuck thoroughly distracted so that Blair could only timidly look to Serena for guidance. Both of their eyes reflected confusion, and knowing that she had an advantage in the situation, Serena held Blair's hand between her own, hoping to give her some reassurance.

Chuck was taking another woman into his arms, this one older and more restrained in her affections, but with the same light hair as Serena. He seemed to enjoy the reunion, but his eyes were trained on the figure hanging back in the shadows of the dim room, who was watching the exchange with an imposing presence.

Sensing the preexisting tension that emanated from the two men that stood on opposite sides of her, the woman slowly pulled away, turned around, and stepped to the side. Blair watched with bewilderment, trying to determine what might happen next, while Serena trained her eyes on anything besides the other individuals.

"Charles, you are the last person I expected to see this evening. It has been a year and a half, and you could not even give word of your homecoming?" The man's voice was rich and deep, but his tone was full of a coldness that automatically sent Blair into a state of uneasiness, especially when she realized that he was not finished speaking. "And it seems that you've brought company, how fitting. I can see that your enlisting had a great affect on you."

The young blonde before her tightened her grip, but it could not have helped, Blair wished to disappear after hearing the cynical comment.

"Bart, don't be so –"

"Quiet, Lily, let my son speak for himself." Bart stated plainly, taking a few steps forward so more of the candles' glow lit his heavily creased brow and stern expression.

"Father, I…" Chuck's words died off soon after beginning, and Blair felt her pulse quicken with anxiety. He never doubted himself, at least not in her presence and seeing him do it in such a situation made her fearful beyond explanation.

With an air of defeat about him, Chuck turned to glance at Blair and his sister before turning back to his father. "Maybe we should discuss this in private?"

Bart's response and acknowledgment was a curt nod, and him turning on his heel to make his way to a different location in the house. When Chuck moved to follow behind him, Blair's lips parted and a shaky breath escaped; she wanted to call him back, but what could she say?

He seemed to take her into consideration for even though he could not have heard the sharp exhalation, he turned around once more to look at her, his eyes apologetic. But it was no use, he still walked away – leaving Blair with his step-sister and the woman that she could only assume was his step-mother – and for that she could have cursed him, screamed at him, slapped him, anything to make him realize what he was doing to her.

As Chuck left the room, Blair could feel stinging tears gather on her eyelashes and she tried to breathe evenly in an effort to hold them at bay; she would not let herself cry. It was only right that he chose his father before her, or at least that is what she would try to tell herself.

"Blair?" Serena gently tested, brushing her thumb over the brunette's knuckles. She herself was nearly lost in what exactly was happening, but the poignant look on her brother's face and the pain in Blair's eyes told her it was somehow serious and important.

"Yes?" Blair whispered, meeting the blonde's gaze while hoping that her simple answer would suffice, since she did not know how clearly she would be able to speak.

Once Serena had her attention she realized that she did not know what to say to someone that she did not know, and who appeared to be on the verge of breaking down. But thankfully, her mother knew to take control, as she so often did.

"Come with me, my darling. We'll have a bath drawn for you," informed Lily in a way that was tender, yet firm enough to not be refused. She smiled warmly as she gestured for Blair to stand and follow her, and without any other options the brunette listened obediently.

*****

After the time it took to fill a porcelain bath with heated water, Blair found herself in a tub with her knees hugged to her chest. It was soothing to have washed out her hair and sloughed off the feeling of sickness from being at sea, but she still could not rid herself of the chills that had set in when she, Nate, and Chuck had left the ship.

Serena sat beside her, as she had finished bathing long ago and now just sat numbly in the cooling liquid. She could not bring herself to be modest, and although she truly did not know the blonde woman, she did know that she did not want to be alone. Her thoughts were of the man she loved and whose baby she carried, and of how his father could treat him so badly after not seeing him for so long.

"Won't you eat anything?" Serena suddenly asked, referring to the plate of food that Lily had, had prepared for her by the family's cook. Her mother had insisted that she try to get the young brunette to eat, stating that they needed to remedy her lack of color and liveliness.

Blair lifted her head a little, bringing the tips of her hair from beneath the water so it created light dripping sounds. "I can't…"

Serena smiled softly, trying to be as friendly and comforting as possible. "Of course you can, Chuck would want you to have anything you need."

"No, it's not that…" Blair whispered, shaking her head and staring down at her knees, "I feel ill…"

The confession was not surprising and prompted Serena to urge her from the tepid water. Blair rose up, not feeling shy at all as the beads of moisture ran down her bare skin to be replaced with goose bumps, until she was handed a plush towel.

Serena politely averted her eyes while Blair dressed in the chemise and dark green robe she had gathered for her, all the while silently wondering who the person she was caring for really was. She had already made a point of sneakily examining Blair's left hand; random letters had been the only correspondence between her and her brother during his time in the military, but she was certain that he would have told her if he had secretly taken a wife. There was no ring though – if that meant anything – and with the personality and skewed morals that she knew Chuck possessed, she did not doubt it. She could have never imagined him being selfless or patient enough to care for anyone in that manner, and for that reason she still could not find an explanation for Blair's presence.

"Serena?" Blair said lightly, pulling the blonde from her thoughts and indicating that she was finished. Then, she waited until they made eye contact before speaking again. "Thank you…"

A soft smile came over Serena's face once more, and she looped her arm into Blair's, while telling her, "You're welcome."

_Whoever she is,_ Serena though to herself, _she is the sweetest thing to have ever set foot near Chuck. _

*****

"So, who is she?" Bart asked his son bluntly. He lounged into the cognac colored leather armchair of his office, clasping his fingers together and waiting expectantly. From years of experience, he knew it was best to relax while his only child tried to explain himself, because there were usually many false twists and turns along the way.

Chuck's face was solemn as he thought of Blair and the easiest way to describe their relationship to one another, but there was no easy way to do so when they themselves did not know what it could be considered. One thing he did know though, was that he would not let his father dissuade him from Blair.

The older man sighed in exasperation, becoming impatient with his son's speechlessness. "You know, Charles, I did not send you off to the military so you could come back with the same trouble I was trying to get you away from."

"Blair is not trouble." Chuck finally said in a firm tone, after hearing what his father had labeled the woman that meant so much to him.

Bart's brows raised and then lowered again in a sarcastic show; anything involving Chuck Bass and beautiful women created some type of tribulation. "Lovely to know she has a first name. And if she is not trouble, then what is she to you?"

"I saved her, she needed someone and I was there for her…" Chuck began to explain, only to be cut off by a gruff sound.

"You saved her? Or she saved you from your enlistment!?" Bart quizzed, his voice growing with intensity and his eyes hardening further. "You mean to tell me that, that _girl_ wasn't the reason for your deserting!?"

Chuck was beginning to haze over with anger, he had always known about his father's dislike of him and he knew that his choice to leave the army would be greatly frowned upon. But he was in disbelief that his very own father could not forget the discretion, and the ones of his youth, to take the time to appreciate that his son had come home alive and not in a pinewood box, or not at all.

"_She_ had nothing to do with it!" Chuck shouted, standing from the chair he had been sitting in; he had too many emotions ripping through his body to stay still. "She wasn't the reason. All along it meant nothing to me!"

"Well, I still won't have your whores in my home!" Bart bellowed back, mirroring the movement of standing up.

Chuck hardly heard the comment; he was too focused on his father's absurd attempts to act as if Blair was the real reason for his unnecessary anger. "Let her alone and tell me the real reason you are angry – me! I never wanted anything to do with you and your damn cause, and that is why you pushed me into it, to embellish your name and get rid of me all at once! Well, it didn't work! The son you _hate_ has come back!"

*****

Blair had toyed with the sash of the robe she was wearing for countless minutes, lost in thought. It felt nice to have the elegant slip of silk against her skin again and pillows beneath her head, but at the same time it reminded her of exactly where she was. Alone in Chuck's sister's room, missing him and wishing that it was his skin that was brushing along her body, instead of something that was not even her own.

Serena had left the room, most likely thinking that Blair would have liked to be left to her rest. But that only allowed for more wondering and anxiety, and once the sounds of individuals moving about the house had settled some Blair eventually let her nervous energy guide her to the door.

After taking up the candle that had been left lit and forgotten on the young blonde's vanity, Blair curled her fingers around the knob and was relieved to find that its well oiled mechanisms did not grate as they slipped past one another.

The area beyond the door was even darker than the room she had left behind and made her rethink the reason why she was lurking about an unfamiliar house in the first place, but she continued onward. The reason was more important than she could begin to explain, but it was time to try.

As she walked silently through the hallway – occasionally lingering near doorways and listening for the low tones of Chuck's voice – Blair had to admire the luxury that surrounded her. She could not discern them in great detail in the faintness of candle light, but the plush texture beneath her bare feet and the smoothness of the varnished wood beneath her fingertips told her that if she could see it in the daylight she would find an equally opulent saturation of color and images. His father was a businessman and that was as far as Blair's knowledge went concerning Chuck's family. She had supposed that he was fairly well-off judging by his mannerisms and his seemingly high level of education, but she would not have expected it to be as much as she was witnessing. And in addition to admiring a part of his life that she had not known, she also had to appreciate the family members that she had no prior knowledge of either. Serena and Lily had showed her a caring nature that she had not felt since many months before, when her mother was still alive and healthy.

Exploring the upper level of the house was fruitless and after tipping her head to the numerous doors and hearing nothing, she descended the stairs and felt her nervousness increase with every step, knowing it was bringing her closer to Chuck and her confession.

The cold marble at the foot of the stairs gave Blair's senses a jolt and she stood still for a moment, feeling as if she should hold her breath in the house that up until a couple of hours before had been undisturbed. If she looked to her right she could see a slice of light falling across the floor, having escaped from the slightly ajar door of a chamber – maybe a parlor or a dining room. But if she listened to her left she could hear the strains of voices from another room down another hall, which sounded like they were possibly rising with anger.

"_She had nothing to do with it!"_

The words were surprising and clearly recognizable and Blair tensed, if she had not been standing still already hearing Chuck's shouts certainly would have stopped her. He was arguing with his father and the subject – her – made her mind reel with guilt, but nothing could have prepared her for his next harsh announcement. Nothing at all.

"_She wasn't the reason! All along it meant nothing to me!"_

To her, it meant everything and nothing all at once. He had obviously not wanted her to hear it, but now that she had overheard the words Blair did not know whether to be thankful for finally learning the truth or be crushed by its implications. Though it seemed the latter would wreak its havoc before anything else, because she had absolutely no reign over the winded feeling that stole the breath from her lungs and made her vision tilt like she had boarded another pitching ship.

As she climbed the stairs as fast as her shocked body would allow, the candle flame multiplied to double and triple, and then back to one as the tears welled in her eyes and blurred her vision, and then cleared again as they spilled over her cheeks. Her mouth parted in silent agony and her hand grasped at the green silk covering her abdomen and fisted the material, subconsciously wanting to protect her mistake of a child from her own torturous pain of rejection and betrayal.


	17. Would You?

**:) Just keep reading…**

Chapter 17 – Would You?

Serena sat quietly and uneasily beside her mother in their dining room, absentmindedly eyeing a straight, fine gouge in the large mahogany wood table that had been there since she and Chuck were nine years old. It was not hard for her to remember when it had gotten there or their exact age, considering that she and her step-brother differed in age by only a few months and it had been put there purposefully by Chuck himself on his very birthday.

Bart had left the room and Lily had followed to see him off on his next business travels; he had only thought to make a small appearance for his son's birthday, presenting a gift and then leaving. But Serena had been there when Chuck had done it, giving him wary glances that he returned with an uncaring grimace before he set the sharp tip of the penknife – the gift from his father – to the varnish. He had pushed and dragged the knife several inches in a repetitive motion until slivers of the wood had been separated and a light streak discolored the dark table top. In her own immaturity, Serena had been appalled by his behavior, thinking that he had no good reason for the destruction. But it would not be until later years that she would fully understand the true purpose.

She also remembered Bart's return days later and presently, as she listened to them arguing from down the hall it brought back the memory of Bart's voice scolding a nine year old Chuck, as well as the snap of his smooth leather belt. She never feared a punishment like that for herself. Serena knew that what transpired between her step-father and her step-brother had nothing to do with her or her mother or anyone else. The rift had existed between the two for an amount of time that she could not have known, and it would have been foolish to believe that anyone besides them would be able to mend it.

"Why is he so angry?" Serena finally asked her mother, trying to block out the sound of Bart's accusing voice.

Lily sighed and it seemed that her own reminiscent thoughts had been disrupted. "Serena, try not to worry yourself. You know how they can be sometimes," she excused the dislike and the arguing as she always did, lacking a better way to answer her daughter's question.

Serena knew she should have expected such an answer, but this time she could not dismiss the fact that Chuck – who she loved unconditionally as a sister should – had come home to them, yet no one had given it any appreciation. The circumstances were unusual she realized, but that should not have masked the fact that a member of their family had come back from a war that had taken the lives of so many others.

Rising from the table, Serena looked to her mother apologetically. "I'm sorry, but I can't bear to hear it. I had wanted to tell him goodnight, but I think I will check on Blair instead."

Lily nodded understandingly, silently dismissing her daughter and drifting back into her own thoughts and worries.

*****

Upon opening the door to her bedroom, Serena expected to find a still environment free from the tenseness and loud arguing of the floor below. But she found no such thing, instead her senses perked to the sound of crying, pained and uncontrollable.

"Blair? Are you not well?" she called aloud, even though the near stranger she knew to be in her room had given no acknowledgement to her entrance.

Serena made haste in crossing towards the bedside, eventually coming to sit on the mattress beside Blair, who in the shadowy light she could see was in a state of severe upset. The brunette crouched against the headboard, her head on her knees and her hand clutching the cream colored sheets to her barely visible face. Each of her harsh sobs sent a tremor through her neck and shoulders as her lungs tried to quickly inhale the oxygen that they were lacking.

"Tell me what's wrong!" Serena pleaded, beginning to fear her refusal to speak. She had taken it upon herself to care for Blair and with Chuck occupied by his own problems with his father she knew she could not interrupt him for help.

With careful hesitation and without knowing it would be accepted, Serena comfortingly touched Blair's shoulder and the waves of hair that were still dampened by water. "Please, Blair…"

Finally, the brunette lifted her head while biting her lip and gesturing negatively. "I – I can't say."

Serena's brows came together with worry and confusion as she looked into Blair's eyes, which were clear from her crying yet rimmed with redness at the lids. Suddenly, the blonde no longer cared if Blair wanted to accept her concern or not, it was unfortunately obvious that she was in desperate need of someone even if she was not aware of the fact. Serena took her hand and pressed her fingers – which were wet with tears and cool from having been clenched so tightly – between her own.

"You have to tell me if something is wrong. Are you in pain, do you feel sick still?" she continued to question, her tone gentle almost as if she were addressing a child.

Blair continued to shake her head; she could only wish that her predicament was something as simple as being ill. "It's nothing like that…"

"Then tell me what it is." Serena tried to suggest again while she gave the young woman's hand an assuring squeeze. "You can trust me."

The guarded expression on Blair's face was predictable, but as the realization that her churning hurt and fear would only keep growing worse surfaced, the idea of confiding in someone – even if it was not Chuck – seemed inviting. And it was evident that Serena did have her interest at heart, for the blonde hardly knew her and she did not have to feign caring about her if she did not want to.

"Honestly?" asked Blair after having calmed down some.

"Yes, of course…"

Blair knew if she was going to try to explain the connection between her and Chuck, she would have to start at the beginning for any of the tale to make sense or seem even reasonably believable. So, she gathered the snippets of both good and bad memories, and unconsciously reached her fingertips above her brow to the smoothing scars that had taken the place of her once lacerated flesh.

"During the end of August," Blair began speaking shakily and Serena listened intently, still holding her hand, "Chuck helped me escape from my father's plantation…in Georgia."

The blonde's surprise over the distance the two had fled showed in her eyes, as well as curiosity. She had heard the stories on the streets, but since she herself had lived in a free city throughout the war the reality of its effects were not known to her. It went beyond her understanding to think of being forced from her home without warning.

Blair recognized how unfamiliar the situation would be to Serena and she felt almost envious of that as she continued to explain herself. "The Yankees had come and they…"

Her voice died out as she tried to accurately think of a way to describe what the Yankees had done and she steeled herself against the memories that she had pushed down, and not thought of for so long. What had they _not_ done? They had taken her father away and in a way, her mother as well. They had made her witness the woman who helped to raise her from a child being shot and then she had had to run to save her own existence. And that had not even been the end of her experiences, yet through all of it, they had managed to give her a thousand nightmarish and traumatic memories.

Suddenly squeezing her eyes shut, Blair decided that none of that was important to tell and really she was not strong enough to repeat what she remembered anyway. Serena did not have to know everything about the past to be able to help her, because the most pressing issue only concerned the future.

"I don't know what they did exactly…Chuck and I, we just left before they even knew we had been there."

Like a consolation to her questioning, Serena rubbed her hand over the backs of Blair's knuckles before quietly asking, "But why was Chuck with you when the Yankees came?"

The brunette met the question with a blank stare; she knew why Chuck had been in Georgia, but she did not know why he had been there – at her home – and she had never bothered to ask.

"I don't know…" Blair admitted. She felt like it was another strike against her and all of the reasons why she did not belong with Chuck started to run wild in her mind. "But he took me with him and he took care of me…I had nowhere else to go."

Serena had never known Chuck to show such a caring quality to anyone aside from herself, Eric, and her mother, and it almost made her smile to hear about what he had done for Blair. But she could not smile when more tears were making a slow procession down Blair's face to drip from her soft jaw line.

"He was just so good to me and we became so close…" The confession was becoming easier, as she thought not of Serena's reaction but of the situation she explained. And she did not weep in fear of her reaction, but for the love that she believed she would lose. "I-I couldn't help it, I gave myself to him and now, n-now I'm carrying our baby."

Blair focused on the image of her hand within Serena's and as she did, she could feel the blonde's gaze boring into her. She did not want to know what Serena was thinking of her, she did not want to know what anyone would think of her once the news was announced – especially Chuck.

A few seconds of silence dragged past and then Serena was speaking to her, and overwhelming Blair with the way her own voice was strained with unforeseen sympathy.

"Chuck doesn't know, does he?" she whispered with a tender knowingness, causing Blair's sad eyes to sweep up to her own and see the mistiness there.

Making a valiant effort to not cry, Blair ashamedly gave a slight shake of her head, but struck with emotion her lips quivered and then contorted into wracking cries, sending her back to the condition which she had originally been found in. She pulled her hand from Serena's and rewrapped her arms around her knees to comfort herself, not at all expecting to be suddenly taken into an attentive embrace.

"Oh, Blair…" Serena whispered again, not knowing what else to say in response to such a powerful secret or any other way to make her feel better. Their society was sometimes a cruel one, and just the thought of being displaced, unmarried, and with child was infinitely frightening to the blonde; she could hardly imagine Blair's reality.

"I-I apologize…truly, I do!" Blair sobbed, trying to show her good etiquette as proof of her being a lady and not the whore that she probably looked, and that certain others had thought her to be. "You must think I'm h-horrible to bring this upon Chuck and your family!"

"Shh, no, you haven't done anything wrong." Serena said lightly, unfolding the brunette's arm and bringing them around her own neck, until she could feel her quivering chin on her shoulder. The only person that she could think to blame was her step-brother.

With Serena's hands soothingly rubbing her back, Blair cried out all of the stress that had been mounting for weeks. Never having had a sister of her own or even close friends at Red Ridge because of her horrible cattiness, she was not used to this type of treatment. Her attention had always come from men, but now she could only feel grateful that the young woman who she had at first been dismayed to see was nothing but kind.

Once Blair's upset had died down to shaky breathing, Serena stated the inevitable words, "You have to tell Chuck."

"Chuck doesn't want me." Blair answered automatically; it did not take much thought for her to remember what she had accidentally overheard.

"But, Blair –"

The brunette shook her head to dispel the protests. "No…he doesn't want me, I heard him tell his father myself. Once he had even told me that there was no place for me here, he had been angry but it must have been what he truly believed."

Serena did not interrupt, she let Blair finish speaking and as she did the initial happiness she had felt about having her brother come home seemed to dim under the weight of the unraveling truth. If Blair was correct, then she would not be able to hide her disappointment; she had though that Chuck would be an older, wiser, and changed man after he had finished with the military.

"I've nowhere to go, but I will leave if that's what he wants…" Blair said with a tone of finality and defeat. "I'm such a fool."

Before hysteria could set in again, Serena pushed aside the sudden irritation growing towards Chuck and gestured towards the pillows. "Just hush now, you need to lie down and rest," she advised and then took a chance in voicing another obvious truth in the situation, "this isn't healthy for the baby."

Blair sighed and tried not to think; there was nothing left to ponder. She moved to rest on her side, heeding the advice without saying anything and forcing her eyes to close, knowing that the thoughtful blonde sitting beside her was right. She wanted to continue crying and feeling heartbroken, but it really was too exhausting for her strained body, and besides, she knew that only one person could decide her future now.

*****

Chuck sat hunched at the edge of his bed, a place that he had not occupied for nearly two years. His feet felt cramped and achy in his broken down boots, and his head felt warped by lack of sleep. He worked his thumb and forefinger over the bridge of his nose to try to relieve his tension, but there were too many thoughts in his mind to let him escape his headache.

In previous days spent in his room, he would have used a few tumblers of scotch and an afternoon nap to sleep away his worries. But that was the past and he had responsibilities to tend to now, which explained why he and his father had argued for hours into the night, until near dawn they eventually and surprisingly came to a sort of reconciliation. It also explained why in his other hand he was firmly clutching a small, black velvet box with his late mother's engagement ring and wedding band nestled inside.

Opening the lid, he inspected the still brilliantly glistening rings and the countless shining facets. The box had once sat upon a high shelf in his father's office, serving as a painful reminder of love lost. It had been twenty-two years since they had been worn and Chuck had decided that he wanted them to symbolize something else, something much happier and meaningful.

He smiled as he put the small pieces of jewelry back into hiding and tucked the box in his pocket, hoping that soon they would be displayed on a certain someone's slender finger. His stomach had been rolling with excitement and nervousness ever since Bart had agreed to pass down the rings and since it was still quite early, Chuck decided that he would give himself a while longer to gather his jumbled thoughts.

He lay back against his headboard; thoroughly exhausted, yet too giddy to close his eyes. Images of Blair would not stop flickering through his head and he could only hope that he would be able to look forward to making many more memories with her.

The turning of the doorknob pulled him from his daydreams just in time to see his solemn looking step-sister entering the room. A light smile crossed his features in greeting, but when Serena did not return the gesture and only sat next to him on the mattress, his face turned serious as well.

"Where's Blair?" Chuck asked when Serena gave no news of her, thinking that maybe something had happened.

Serena sighed then, and turned to face her brother. "In my room, still asleep…she's exhausted, Chuck."

"I know…" he said understandingly. Out of anyone, he felt that he knew just how tired she was.

Serena fought with her conscience and silently hoped that she would be helping Blair with her next words. For both of their sakes, she just could not risk having the brunette run off before Chuck knew the truth. "I know you know that, but there is something that you don't know," she stated plainly, "and if you don't treat it seriously, I don't think I will ever be able to look at you in the same way again."

By the time she had finished speaking Chuck's mouth was set in a frown, filled with worry. "What are you talking about, Serena?"

Licking her lips and taking a deep breath, Serena finally decided that she was doing the right thing. "I know I should not be the one to tell you this, but Blair is with child. She told me last night."

Chuck's dark colored eyes rapidly flitted to the floor and then upwards again, obviously lost in thought. Suddenly, the pieces started to fall into place and a flurry of emotions hit him square in the chest. All the times he had held her on the ship she had not just been ill from the sea, but from the baby that his hand unknowingly rested over. Joy and guilt assaulted him all at once; he wanted to smile because he was going to be a father with Blair as the mother of his child, but he also wanted to curse himself for not realizing sooner, for not being able to support her. Finally, all he could manage was a shaky whisper.

"She is _really _pregnant?"

"Yes, she is…"

"I had wondered." Chuck spoke matter-of-factly. The beginning of a smile was playing at the corners of his lips, but he still could not forget how Blair must have felt over the past few weeks.

"I don't understand, if you knew then why didn't you say anything to her!?" Serena swiftly interrogated, as she remembered trying to calm Blair during the night. "She's crushed, Chuck! You should have heard how she cried last night!"

The words stung him like a slap across his face; he had not even considered how she would have felt being left by herself in a strange setting. But she could not have known how awful he would of felt knowing she was carrying their child while having to traipse through miles and miles of forests and swamps.

"I had thought that she may have been, but I thought she would have told me." Chuck openly admitted, with sadness in his voice. "I pushed her so hard to make it here…she would tell me how tired she was, but she _never_ said anything."

"She didn't tell you because she was scared, Chuck! And she still is! You two are not married, she is confused and she doesn't know what to do!" Serena was speaking quickly and looking at him with an expression that was begging him to understand. "And if you hadn't pushed her, where would she be? You kept her safe all that time and she needs you to do it now as well."

Chuck was nodding purposefully – mostly to himself – even before Serena's lips had stopped moving. But he was also remembering something that made his blood surge with anger.

"You are right and I will be here for her. But I have to tell you something, maybe she even told you herself…"

"What is it?" Serena asked, recognizing the change in Chuck's tone and how distant he seemed to become as whatever he spoke of filled his head.

"Some weeks ago, we had been crossing a river and we were separated." Chuck thought back to that night and the ones that followed with bitterness, he still regretted letting that lying Northerner get away.

The blonde waited patiently, setting her hand over his clenched fist. "Go on…"

"A Yankee found her, you don't think that…that he might have…"

Chuck did not finish the statement. It was too hard to think of something so terrible happening to Blair, let alone actually having to talk about such an indelicate subject with another woman.

Serena's gaze seemed to waver to any place besides his face as she uncomfortably asked, "Was there a chance for him to?"

"Yes, he could have, but she didn't say anything," he said, and when he looked back into his sister's eyes the evidence of just how much he truly did care for Blair showed clearly. "Maybe that's why she was afraid to tell me about the baby."

A few minutes passed without any conversation or movement while they each hoped that the speculations were not true. Eventually though, Serena disrupted the silence that had settled over the room with a question that she had wanted to have answered since she first found out Blair's secret.

"But Chuck, even if that did happen…you'll still take care of her and the baby, won't you?"

He was almost taken aback by what Serena had said, but he could not blame her for wondering. So, looking directly into her eyes he admitted the one thing that had taken him long hours to admit to even himself, and what he would soon profess to Blair.

"Of course, I will…I love her more than anything," he whispered honestly.

"Then tell her."

As he rose from the bed and walked towards the door he did not even bother to look back. "I am."

*****

A full half a day had not even passed since the last time Chuck had looked upon Blair's features, but as he stood at the bedside and studied her sleeping face while knowing that she was holding a piece of each of them, he could not help but notice differences. Even if her eyelids looked weary and shadowed, her hair was mussed, and her face seemed gaunt and pale, she still looked more beautiful than she ever had before. And if he had his way, in a few moments he would never have to pass a night without her again.

When he sat down beside her he could see the hardly noticeable quirk of her brows, signifying that she was not far from waking and he smiled even while knowing that she could not see it. He carefully took the hand that lied on the pillow and enveloped it in his own, softly skimming the flesh before leaning closer to kiss Blair's forehead.

Soon her eyes were opening and blinking to focus on the man that she had not expected to see, and it seemed she immediately noticed his intent gaze. But she made no move to acknowledge him, not with a smile or otherwise.

"How are you feeling this morning?" Chuck asked with another grin, one that belied the pang of guilt he felt when he saw the inflamed veins showing brightly against the whites of Blair's eyes.

Blair let the seconds linger past as she stared at him, almost as if she was daring him to guess how she felt since she thought it was most likely obvious from her appearance. She knew she must have looked frightful, because she certainly felt that she did.

"Fine, I suppose…" she finally replied, trying to tamp down her hurt in order to at least given him a chance to speak.

It was near torture to hear her lie and all because she feared he would not want her or their child, but he could only hope that she would soon realize that she had been wrong. That he wanted her and everything she had to give him, especially their baby.

"I had a visit from Serena earlier, in my room."

Blair wanted to panic, but if she did, only to find later that Serena had not uttered a word then Chuck would know there was something being withheld. Instead, she played ignorant to the fact; something she did well. "Whatever for?"

"She told me that you are with child." Chuck stated without warning, but with such intensity that his voice nearly cracked and made Blair's eyes start to water.

"I am…" Blair finally revealed after trying to keep it from him for so long, she thought she would have been angry at having been found out, but she only felt defeated. "I am and I'm sorry," she whispered and then angled her face away, not wanting his unreadable stare piercing into her.

The backs of his fingers smoothed down her cheek and then he gently asked, "Blair, look at me."

The way he said her name had always put her under his spell, so she obeyed the request, turning back to look into his expressive eyes. No matter what he was going to tell her or if it would change her life for better or for worse, she would never be able to resist his touch, his voice, his everything; she loved him too much.

"Please, don't apologize," Chuck whispered tenderly and cupped her face in his palm, "and please, don't think that I want you to leave."

Relief flooded Blair's brain, but her insecurities still got the best of her. "I just can't imagine that you would want a child right now…or with me."

Chuck's grip on her jaw tightened slightly, he wanted to press his lips to hers until she was breathless and had forgotten her silly notions. Instead of kissing her though, he gave her an understanding and sympathetic smile.

"Well, I can't believe that you imagined becoming a mother by the time you left New Orleans with _me_."

He was still smiling as he flattened his hand out over her lower stomach, and then Blair was smiling too, with tears staining her lashes. "Maybe not quite so soon," she said, with humor in her voice.

Chuck reveled in her happiness and long lost playfulness, but he still had one more thing for her. After taking her left hand, he reached into the pocket of his trousers and pulled out the black box that had been waiting there for such a moment.

As soon as she noticed what he was offering, Blair's free hand automatically moved to cover her nose and mouth in surprise. And Chuck almost wanted to laugh at the frantic way in which her eyes snapped back and forth between the rings and his face.

"Chuck…" she managed to say softly.

"I love you," Chuck stated sincerely, his gaze holding her own. "I love you more than I have ever loved anyone or anything in my _entire_ life," he told her, sounding as if he was almost frightened by the fact but too consumed to not pursue it. "And now that I have you, I can't lose you. Please, Blair, would you marry me?"

Blair thought that she had fantasized about every possible scenario of Chuck proposing to her in her mind, but never could she have imagined that he would appear so eager and hopeful as he did.

"Yes, yes…" Blair answered, after realizing that several moments had passed while her stunned brain tried to process the information; the words she had heard during the night were the cruelest misunderstanding. "Yes, of course," she repeated as she leapt forward to bury her face against his neck. "I love you too, Chuck, so much."

He breathed in the flowery scent of her hair and just held her against his chest, taking the time to appreciate the woman in his arms and how much she meant to him. Just months ago he would have never considered his life taking the direction it had.

When Chuck pulled back, Blair's cheeks were streaked with tears once again and he carefully used the pads of his thumbs to wipe the moisture from her flushed skin. "Don't cry, I want you to be happy now."

Blair nodded and swiped her own fingers beneath her eyes, while saying, "I am happy, Chuck. More than you could know."

A smile spread across Chuck's mouth to hear her words and then he retrieved the velvet box that had been dropped to the coverlet when they embraced. He took the thicker, yet still feminine, of the two bands of gold and waited as Blair set her hand over his own, before sliding it past her knuckles and into place.

"This was my mother's ring," Chuck said as he admired the delicate square diamond that now adorned his fiancée's finger. "I hope you like it."

Blair touched his chin and guided his mouth to hers, sealing their lips in a passion filled kiss and even nipping his flesh in her excitement, before answering breathlessly, "I love it, I love you."


	18. Say It Again

**Hey everyone! Just wanted to apologize for taking so long with this update (sound familiar? LoL), it was all school's fault this time! Oh, and some of it can be blamed on the ridiculous writers from the show! Hello, no man would give away the woman he loves to have sex with someone as creepy as Jack, no man would do that ever no matter who it was! Thankfully, it's summer break now! This chapter is just sort of fluff/fun because...who doesn't love C&B fluff!? Also, thanks for all the reviews, alerts, and favorites!**

Chapter 18 – Say It Again

"I love you too," Chuck whispered against Blair's lips.

"Again…" Blair quietly whispered back, smiling when he seemed confused. "Say it again."

"I love you, Blair," he repeated, after happily realizing what she wanted from him. "I love you because you are the most beautiful, stubborn, tempting –"

"That's enough!"

"And capricious woman I have ever met," Chuck finished despite the interruption and gave the woman lying beside him a pointed look, letting them both know that he was humorously correct.

Blair was fighting a smile as Chuck stared over at her with his eyebrows raised, which she eventually had to turn away to try to hide. "Well, maybe you're right, but the stubbornness only matches your own!"

Moving to bring them more closely together, Chuck laid over Blair's body and nuzzled his face into her neck playfully. "Another reason why I love you," he said as he pressed her skin with his mouth.

"Mmm…good," the young woman purred, allowing her new fiancé to kiss and caress her into a relaxation she had not felt in weeks, something she had missed immensely. And by subtly pushing her hips against his, she hinted at just how much she had been longing for their lost intimacy.

Chuck immediately recognized the suggestive movements of Blair's body and the increase in her breathing, and he positioned her thighs on either side of his waist, preparing to give her what she was silently asking for. Then, he set to untying the knotted sash of the robe she was wearing, while she opened the collar of his shirt and slid her hands beneath it to feel his muscled chest.

"We can't do this…" Blair began to giggle, squirming away from the kisses being placed on her neck and breaking Chuck's concentration.

"Why?" he asked, swiftly recovering from the interruption and focusing on his previous task – marking the smooth skin before him with little red welts.

The brunette beneath him continued to laugh and now pushed at his shoulders instead of pulling him closer. "Because this is your sister's bed."

The reason brought Chuck to his senses just as quickly as Blair knew it would. And soon he was standing up and taking her with him in an impatient manner, hastily wrapping her legs around his waist and grumbling in frustration at the floor length material of the robe tangling around his arms.

"Damn these fashions, things were much easier when you only wore pantalets," Chuck mumbled as he tried to comfortably arrange Blair in his arms and walk across the room at the same time.

"Or nothing at all," she pointed out, and then kissed his temple and any other place she could reach. "Now, tell me where you're taking me."

"In _my_ bed!" Chuck hissed cleverly and before Blair could manage a witty response of her own her back was colliding with the solid wood of the door, making her fingernails dig into his shoulders in surprise. "Just where you belong."

"Wait!" Blair abruptly exclaimed just as the door swung open. Thoughts of her already falsely salacious image came to mind and she knew she could not bear the humiliation if someone saw her half way to ravished in the middle of the hallway. "If anyone sees me like this then I will surely have to leave Charleston!" she said, hooking her fingers around the doorframe and preventing the man she was clinging to from moving any further.

"Everyone is still _asleep_!" Chuck whispered fiercely, while walking backwards with a tug and making Blair lose her grip. Just as he had told her before, she was just the woman to tempt him and then give him more hindrances than help. "Besides, I've caught Serena in more compromising positions."

"For shame, Chuck!" Blair spat back, accompanying her scolding with a weak attempt to fight out of his embrace and a swat to the back of his head. They were a few moves from her sassy repertoire that he was growing used to and had secretly always enjoyed.

"You know, if you don't stop struggling I'll have no choice but to put you down and take you right here on the floor," he stated cockily, with a tone of matter-of-factness in his voice, like he would truly follow through with his words if she did not stop.

And for all she knew, he probably would. Chuck was not a man to be denied after he had been teased. So, it was fortunate that his bedroom was only two doors down from the room they had hurriedly abandoned.

Once they had made it inside and Chuck had done an unsuccessful job of quietly closing the door, Blair pushed away from him and managed to get her feet on the floor again. She determinedly marched towards the large bed, not bothering to take in her surroundings, just shedding articles of clothes and leaving them in a trail that Chuck was quick to follow.

"_You know_…" Blair began in a voice that was mocking Chuck's earlier words, "you are such a rogue, so snide and confident…who said I was going to let you have me anyway?"

Suddenly stepping up behind her, Chuck ground his hips against her backside and held fast to her waist. "The haste you use to tear at the ribbon of your pantalets seems to be quite a good indicator."

Her fingers stilled above said ribbon for fractions of a second before she rolled her eyes at her own wantonness; no one had ever had such control over her. But she could hardly find the strength to mind and she supposed no woman would when there was a deliciously handsome gentleman behind her, who was so obviously ready for the morning's events.

"Sometimes I hate you," Blair whispered softly, sounding more loving than hateful, which was exactly what she was.

"That's not what you said before…" Chuck said knowingly, while turning her around and then laying her back on the mattress. He finished kicking his trousers off the end of the bed and shrugged his shirt over his head, not wanting to bother with the buttons and Blair waited impatiently beneath him, not caring about speaking, but rather the press of their skin.

"I thought you loved me?" asked Chuck with an intense look, as he maneuvered his hand between Blair's spread thighs, preparing to bring them together.

"I do…" she assured with a comfortable, content smile that only seemed to show when she was with him.

Chuck did not answer, but carefully assessed his fiancée's desirable features – her long lashed, nearly colorless eyes, the curve of her lips, the highness of her cheekbones – and found himself overwhelmed. When it came down to it, he really had no words to describe to her just how much he loved her in return.

Blair's smile eventually lessened and was forgotten all together, her lips parting as she watched Chuck and waited for his advance. She did not wait for a reply though, she could tell that he was past speaking and the serious emotions on his face told her what she already knew anyway; now he just needed to show her his feelings.

"Oh…" The low sound was easily pulled from Blair's lips as Chuck sank into her waiting body and the very slow pace he set had him battling to keep his eyes from screwing shut, so he could watch Blair's do the same.

"Are you alright?" Chuck whispered gently after having settled his chest against hers, finding his voice in his concern. He pet her face and smoothed away her hair, urging her to now open her eyes again.

Blair nodded rapidly – eyes still shut and caught up in pleasure – hoping that it would spur Chuck into easing the heavy ache in her core. But it did not, and he refused to move until she looked at him and told him what he needed to hear.

"Are you sure you're alright? I don't want to hurt you…or the baby…" he admitted, still valiantly holding himself in check.

"I'm sure," Blair said. "It feels…" she tried to put the sensation into words, but when Chuck made a subtle movement she could hardly do anything besides bury her face against his neck. "God, it feels amazing."

"Really?" Chuck quizzed, sounding pleased, yet far from pompous.

"Uh huh…" Blair murmured and reached down to dig her fingernails into the small of his back, a selfish act to bring him deeper, but one that he was absolutely in favor of. "I've missed having you, feeling you like this."

The man above her grunted a basic response, suddenly finding himself lost in the raw instincts evoked by his soon-to-be wife. Being Chuck Bass, he had had many experiences with plenty of women, but he had never before experienced the type of aphrodisiac that was Blair Waldorf whispering how much she missed him in his ear.

"I missed you too," Chuck confessed and then set his jaw, concentrating on taking well measured thrusts that had Blair's breath leaving her in short gasps.

They had never had one another like this, in bed on soft sheets and down pillows. The exotic had always been the usual for them; under the warm sun or in the humid night with the sounds of the river flowing. It seemed strange now to have become so domesticated and simple, but it was nonetheless passionate or lustful, maybe even too lustful.

"_Yes!_" Blair sharply moaned. It was more loudly than she should have but she could not help it when Chuck was angling his hips and determinedly stroking a sweet spot that he knew drove her to madness.

"Shh, my little minx, you'll wake the house…"

A finger was placed over Blair's parted lips as she panted and tried to remain quiet. Chuck knew what he was doing though; it was his goal to make her lose control until he finally had to smother the high notes of her cries with his mouth. For him it would not have been the first time that he had disturbed others while entertaining a woman, and really he would not have minded if the entire street heard what he could do to Blair, but he knew she would not agree. The fire in his muscles and the sweat breaking along his brow would be only for her.

"Put your legs around me, Blair," he commanded, as he spread his hands out under her back and sat upright, bringing her to sit over his lap.

"Soon you won't be able to be so rough with me…" Blair laughed, locking her ankles around his waist and kissing at his neck and shoulders. The pleasure she was feeling was delicious and she was glad to be in control to quicken the rhythm of their love making, and completely disregard her own words.

"Rough?" Chuck echoed in wondering. He knew he was not being too aggressive with her, but if she wanted him to treat her like glass he would; it would not be a hard thing for him to do. Taking her hips in a firm grasp, he brought the roll of her pelvis to a halt and held her tightly, until she was pouting and struggling to move again.

"Don't tease..."

"I can be gentle," Chuck whispered, raising one hand up to hold Blair's face and bring her gaze to his. It was important to him to take care of her all of the time, but especially now during her venture into motherhood.

Blair thought the words were endearing, but she just could not bring herself to such concentration when Chuck was filling and stretching her. She just wanted him to lay her on her back again and use his body to render her senseless. "Yes, but not now."

"Yes, now," Chuck said with finality and instead of reverting back to full thrusts he splayed his fingers around her thighs and began grinding their bodies together.

"Chuck…" Blair pleaded and antagonized him by sinking her teeth into his earlobe.

Hissing in pain, Chuck thrashed is head away from her bite and decided to tease her a bit more. His fingertips found the slippery bud of flesh between her legs – just above the area where they were still intimately connected – and stroked in small circles. The touch startled her nerves and had her muscles clenching his body even tighter than before.

"Look at me, Blair," Chuck demanded. He wanted to see his fiancée's face contort with pleasure, like he knew it would. But if he was going to tease her then she was going to tease him, and she kept her cheek pressed to his.

"Not unless…you give me what I want…" Blair said while trying not to pant in Chuck's ear. Because even though he was only using his fingers and the slow rock of their bodies to create that indescribable feeling that she just could not explain, she was still so close to coming undone. But that would ruin their entire game.

While sliding the hand on Blair's hip up her back and into her hair, Chuck whispered, "But this is what you want…"

And then it was over. The slow, burn inducing movements of fingers and hips may have culminated in her spine stiffening and her eyes rolling back, but it was the sound of Chuck's voice displaying his perfect understanding of her truest desires that had her surrendering to him, whimpering against his neck, and her inner muscles coaxing him to his own finish.

"You…know me…too well," Blair struggled to say with her erratic breathing.

"Mmm…" Chuck remained wholly without speech. The sensation of their bodies melted together by the warm liquids slipping from between her thighs and onto him, had robbed him of all words.

After regaining some of her ability to think clearly, Blair unwound her arms from around Chuck's neck, kissed him once more, and then let herself fall back against the pillows. Chuck remained sitting up with her still in his lap and her legs lying on either side of his body, and it gave him the perfect opportunity to spread his large hand over her lower belly.

Blair wore a soft smile as she watched him, he was unsuspecting as he carefully studied her stomach and traced his fingertips around her belly button and between her hip bones. He seemed so pleased knowing that their child was right there before him – growing beneath his hand – and it gave Blair a sense of pride unlike anything she had ever felt. It made her forget the times she had spent literally worrying herself sick over how he would react to becoming a father.

"Come here…" she beckoned in a whisper, reaching her hand up to the back of Chuck's neck and bringing him to rest beside her, with his head on her chest.

He closed his eyes as his cheek came in contact with her hot, dewy skin. "I love you."

The comment still caught her off guard, but she instantly replied, "And I love you."

"That was strange," exclaimed Chuck, after they had enjoyed a few minutes of silence while their pulses returned to a normal speed. He peppered random kisses over Blair's breasts and then looked up to witness her response.

"Strange? I thought it was rather pleasing," she admitted casually. It did not worry her at all that he had referred to what had just occurred as strange, because no matter what he said she could tell he had thoroughly enjoyed himself by the way he lied heavily fatigued against her body.

"It certainly was…" Chuck growled against the underside of her jaw, "And I only mean that this was the first time we've ever made love in a bed and I didn't have to brush grass from your hair after finishing."

Blair began to laugh, but it seemed that he had not said all that he wanted to.

"Our baby was most likely conceived against a rock in the middle of a forest!"

"Chuck!?" Blair laughed, "That's awful!"

"Oh, it most certainly is awful!" Chuck ribbed with a bright smile that eventually softened into seriousness before he continued, "But it's the truth and I wouldn't want to change that."

Blair looked up to the ceiling thoughtfully as she remembered the first days that she and Chuck had spent together. The connection had been immediate and they had spent no time denying the fact; by their second afternoon together they had been bickering heatedly, and it only made sense that by the very next evening they had been making love. "Although, I really don't think that's when it happened…"

"When then?" Chuck asked as he pushed himself onto his arm, while his other hand still held possessively to the contours of her waist. They were completely alone and safe, but the subject of he and Serena's earlier conversation rang in his mind. He wanted to ask, not for himself but for her. It would have to be later though, she was too happy now for him to bring her down with such questions.

"Maybe our first time together," the woman beside him answered and then shyly looked away, already feeling the uncontrollable blush that was creeping into her cheeks. For some reason, she could lie bare before Chuck after just having opened her body to him, but while speaking to him about the first time she had done that very same thing she could not help but feel as innocent as she had been that night.

Her confession eased some of his worries, but he could not fully shake the thoughts of the very real possibility."Truly?"

"Yes," Blair told him with a smile and then grazed the tips of her fingers over his temple and down his cheek. "Are you proud of yourself? You defiled me and got me pregnant all in one night."

"I wish you wouldn't say it like that, but yes, I am quite proud of myself," Chuck admitted, brushing his lips over her forehead. "I had to find some way to keep you with me," he added.

Blair arched up, finding his mouth and giving him a soft, innocent kiss. "Well, you'll have me forever," she vowed, "but you should rest now. You're tired, and you should know that you will need your rest if you plan on keeping me satisfied…forever is a very long time."

Chuck smiled widely to himself as he thought of what she was implying and put his head on her chest once more. "In that case, wake me in an hour's time. I want to start as soon as possible," he declared, with his voice distorted and his mouth half open in a yawn. Staying awake through the night had taken its toll on him, but did not prevent him from letting his hands wander and his intentions be known.

"Just sleep," the woman he was lying on instructed, while simultaneously bringing his hand to rest in the valley between her breasts, stopping his calloused fingertips from grazing her nipples. "You'll have plenty of time to do whatever you wish to me later."

"Eric, do you think they're –"

"If their earlier display in the hallway is any indication, then yes, they are." Eric informed his sister, managing to deadpan even in a whisper.

"You saw them together!? How!?" Serena fiercely whispered back, trying to keep as quiet as possible lest the two occupants of the room they were standing outside of should hear. "What were they doing!?"

The younger of the two blondes rolled his eyes. Eric knew he was sharper than his older sister, but he had to believe that she was not that naïve; in fact he knew that she certainly was not. "I might have been spying on them through my door and do I really have to say?"

"Yes, tell me!" Serena demanded, "Did Blair look upset?"

"Not exactly…"

Taking her ear away from the door, Serena glared at her brother with keen eyes. "What is _that_ supposed to mean!?"

"Well, she was wearing your favorite green robe…" Eric offered with a far away expression. "It looks much better on her than it does you…"

"Eric!?" Now, it was Serena's turn to roll her eyes and scoff. "You aren't answering my question."

"Yes! She looked happy, she looked wonderful!" Eric wildly exclaimed, realizing that his sister was not going to let him keep his fond memories of his older step-brother's beautiful and enigmatic, new houseguest to himself. "Chuck was carrying her, the robe was half off and then he threatened to take her right there on the _floor_! She must have liked it though, you should have seen the way she was devouring his neck after he said it! Oh, and she –"

Serena was clamoring to cover Eric's mouth, and he was fighting just as hard to swat her hands away. "Shh…alright, enough!"

"You _had_ to know!" Eric mocked, giving his sister a light shove backwards.

"I didn't need to know all of that," Serena announced as she let the momentum of the push take her and she slumped back against the adjacent wall. "Not even in the house for a full day and already he's ruining my clothes again, but at least she's not upset anymore. That's all that matters, because despite what you may have seen she is a proper lady, I can tell."

Eric listened to the rambling and then plainly added, "I never said she wasn't, but why do you keep going on about her being upset? What's wrong with her?"

A superior smirk came over Serena's face at having a piece of information unknown to everyone else in the house, besides Blair and Chuck. "I shouldn't say," she said, in an obvious taunt. "There's nothing actually wrong with her, I just don't think anyone else should know."

"Is she from a brothel!?" Eric quizzed. The smile on his face was a little too eager for Serena's taste and it served to solidify the fact that having Chuck Bass as a step-brother had been very _influential_ on his adolescent life.

"No, no! I said she was proper, it's nothing like that…"

"Then, tell me what is it!" the younger of the two siblings shouted and quickly sealed his lips, knowing that he had risked them being caught at their little game of eavesdropping. Then, leaning closer to his sister, Eric tried to sway her in his favor, "Who would I tell anyway?"

Serena surveyed the seemingly empty hallway for a moment and bowed her head closer to Eric's. "Fine, I'll tell you…"

After pausing for a greater effect, she then whispered, "She's with child _and_ they're getting married!"

"They're what!?"

Serena had been confident that the secret would warrant a shocked reaction, but she thought that her brother would be the first to respond, considering he was the one receiving the message. Though as she and her brother swiftly turned to find the source of the ecstatic voice behind them, it was evident that she was mistaken. Their mother had somehow overheard and the good news was out. Such was life at the Bass household; secrets never stayed secrets for long.

**Uh oh, now the secrets out and we all know how Lily gets! Thanks for reading! :D**


End file.
